GATE: Thus the JSDF and (ERROR! ERROR!) — uh, oh dear!
by B-Code2016J4
Summary: A magical portal manifested in the middle of Ginza and unleashed a huge medieval-fantasy army that attack everything regardless of international boundaries. As the JSDF and their allies send an expedition to the strange world, they have yet to notice a force that was never expected to exist. (Available for editing, duplication, and adoption) [Multiple crossovers]
1. Chapter 1

**This story was a combination of GATE: JSDF, Battlefield Bad Company, Command and Conquer games, Warhammer 40K, Starcraft, and elements of Call of Duty series. The selected franchises belong to their respective owners. Additionally, I can give credit to F-14 Tomcat Lover for presenting story ideas on his GATE fanfic.**

 **WARNING: There is a section in this chapter reminiscent of one graphic scene in COD: Black Ops 3. Although fictional, the dialogues/rants in that part can be very concerning for others since it reflects on the global situation I had heard, seen, and/or read on the news and documentaries.**

 **To be clear, this alternate story line came after the Empire's massive army go through the 'Gate' uninterrupted. Quite different from my intended path for the epilogue of my other robot/fantasy fanfic work where those legions are being slaughtered by the AI extraterrestrials immediately after the structural enhancement on the portal (and just before the medieval forces had a chance to invade). Also, the 'surveillance' forces of the robotic race stuck on the 21st century Earth side and probably more of them on the 'Special Regions' in this plot are in an intense state of tiredness, disgust, disappointment, and rage after sifting thru tons of information (both physical and digital) about the precarious state on the world for several months; almost like the current circumstances we are in. Not sure how much of that heighten 'emotions' will change in future chapters whenever I could write them.**

 **Any criticism on this work will be obliged. (But it's your call.)  
**

* * *

One and a half weeks after the Ginza Incident….

"Let me recall on the information we had reviewed for today, gentlemen. A Roman-style structure or gate magically appeared in the middle of downtown Tokyo, Japan and out came an army of Roman-lookalikes and medieval fantasy creatures. Instead of peaceful diplomacy, they started slaughtering any civilians in their way: men, women, children, foreigners, our people. Not only that, these invaders recklessly damaged dozens of embassies including ours, the U.K., Canada, Israel, Mexico, Ireland, South Africa, India, and not to mention Russia of all things. With no equivalents to modern weaponry on the other hand, they were defeated by the Japanese self-defense forces, the US marines, and several army rangers within five days. The civilian casualties were over 2200 dead, almost 4000 injured, and about 90 remained missing. And yet the enemy suffered over 84,000 in death toll as well as 27,600 being detained; including their camp followers in sizable numbers. Their language had not been deciphered as of this moment but it's seem that it is related to Latin. In the aftermath, the Japanese government vow to find out what is going on and bring the perpetrators to justice. In my response speech, we, as in the United States and the rest of the world, acknowledged that claim to get the violators understand their crimes against humanity and receive the appropriate punishments. However, the attacks on several embassies warrant us and other countries to send financial aids and possibly military forces to aid this expedition for justice. Quite unfortunate that the government of Japan had been very nationalistic for some time before this macabre incident. Thus negotiations to accompany them are going at a slow rate unless the Japanese want to do it cash strapped. Back home though, we have yet to determine the total number of troops to be sent through the gate. Am I correct, everyone?" asked the president of the USA in the White House.

"Yes Mr. President, that's very much the situation we're in as of today. One battalion and a regiment from the Marine Corps is being underway but we haven't decided on which army group is going to Tokyo right now," said one of the military leaders.

"Continue the evaluation, general. And what's on the word for the Russians?"

"Officially, they want to do the same things as us. Still, it may take a year to raise an expeditionary force worthy of joining this coalition considering that the Russian economy just recovered from international sanctions," stated a diplomat.

"Alright then, that is all on what I need to hear. Dismiss gentlemen!"

As the visitors leave the room, a file batch of documents unexpectedly drop onto the floor. Only the commander in chief notice the mishap. After a few minutes of waiting, he decided to pick up this pile and take a look at it. "Well, what have we got right here?" The front cover is then opened to display the first profile. "Hmm, a George Gordon Haggard Jr. from Dallas, Texas awaiting prison sentence for… what the hell is this disaster am I reading!?"

A few days afterwards...

Inside the building of an army base within the USA is an imprisoned man lying on the lower mattress of the bunk bed... and whistling all alone. The prisoner is of Asian descent and wearing the orange-colored outfit. His prison cell is the only one being occupied among the empty rooms inside the structure designated as a prison/stockade for any 'unruly' soldier. After a while of silence, a door opens from the outside. Coming in the vacant alley are an army officer and two armed guards. Once inside, they walk towards the inmate locked in the reinforced gate of his jail room.

"Hey you uptight assholes, isn't it a little bit early for me to go to military court for my so-called punishment?" asked the defiant convict.

The officer responded, "Well... aren't you being observant of this unexpected situation; for someone who had murdered over a dozen people in disregard of army discipline instilled upon you."

"Yeah, sure... as if you could ignore the self-proclaimed jihadi pointing a gun at me while shopping off duty around a convenience store. Or how about those craze-up racists attacking a church full of kids before my eyes; and other shitty predicaments that reminded me on how my hometown was burnt to the ground!"

"Ugh... look, Corporal Gat. You were in an unconscious state for two years after your gangs' last fights in the destroyed city of Stilwater. We recovered and brought you here on this Army base for almost that same amount before you regained consciousness. Once you had enough facts to acknowledge that you no longer have a home to return to except this place, you made the decision to stay inside the army for redemption as a soldier of the US military. Yet with all the training and 'testing' we put you through for many months, you still allowed such thuggish brutality to manifest onto your 'alleged' offenders for your own sense of vengeance!"

"Ohh... well sor-ry for not being as 'honorable' as someone like the late General Shepherd who came to 'free' my city from fucking anarchy with the help of his PMC alliance. By the way though, have you guys finally discovered any damn evidence of your general's schemes to be a hero... by secretly supporting the same violent, fringe groups that wrecked havoc in the first place?"

The annoyed officer grumbled at the rather 'unproven' divulgence. "Hmm... I'm not the one with any answer to such conspiracy, soldier!"

"Why am I not surprised! I bet your leaders in the higher echelon had felt very embarrassed or disgraced about seeing the tru-"

"Listen carefully, Mr. Gat! You're being transferred to a new combat unit among the 222nd Armored Battalion as of today!"

"...wait, a transfer? So no solitary confinement, electrocution, or any kind of military penalty?"

3 months later….

' _Welcome to the city of Tokyo, capital of Japan, known as the land of the rising sun… well technically, I'm in the air heading for the city's further port where the 222nd Armored Battalion of the US Army is being assembled to assist the JSDF operations to the unknown world. My name is Preston Marlowe and it has been over three months since the barbaric event occurred in the Ginza district. Nice change of pace from my last deployment in Lodz, Poland. Aside from working with the Poles in military exercises, things tend to… get boring for over a year. So about a month ago, I decided to fly a Blackhawk helicopter for the first time thanks to some persuasions from one of the pilots that had military histories in their families. Unfortunately, the chopper was much different than my grandfather's Vietnam-era Huey, the pilot assisting me got drunk, the unauthorized flight time ran short because of low fuel to begin with, and finally… I crash-landed the vehicle into a general's limousine. That would definitely send me to jail but instead, the army ordered my transfer to B-Company of the 222nd armored battalion. If the rumors are true, then you can thank the president for the formation of this company after he saw the 'colorful' profiles of army personnel that gave troubles to the military - albeit secretly. Considering all the troublemakers and rejects being put into one military group, this fighting unit sometimes goes by another name: Bad Company. As it stands, the current order is to meet the Japanese military forces after they set up fortifications on the other side and train each other for combat skill development and primarily discipline integrity or get our act together in plain English. On the other hand, if situation turn for the worse then B-Company might fill in the role as cannon fodder or something else unpleasant. So far, it seems that the true nature of this mismatched bunch remained hidden from the Japanese government and military forces. Anyway, let's resume the story…'_

The Blackhawk helicopter lands on the designated loading zone, which allows the passengers to exit safely. As private Marlowe put his feet on the ground and sling his assault rifle on his back, he take the time to look around the large assembly area filled with military personnel, vehicles, and other equipment. Preston soon spot a squad with three of them having a conversation and an African American sergeant listening to the interactions while standing. The new arrival figured that it's a good idea to ask the squad leader and proceed to walk closer to him. "Private Preston Marlowe reporting for duty, sir!" said the saluting soldier after he stopped moving.

The sergeant look at him, salute, and said, "You sure you're in the right place?"

"I've believe so, sir!" the newcomer answered but the leader seem to be interrupted by a radio call from his comm link. "This is B-Company, right?"

"Yep, sure is. Even so, would you stop doing the sir-yes-sir bullcrap? I'm a sergeant, not the goddamn president!"

"Okay! Sorry, sir!" the arrived private responded before realizing his mistake. "I mean, sergeant."

"Yeah, whatever," the squad leader nonchalantly said. The rest of the squad came to greet the new personnel.

"Hey, welcome to the sandbox. The name Sweetwater here."

"Hey, how' ya doing? I'm Haggard and you smell very clean."

"You can call me Sanford, fourth squad-mate of Bravo One Charlie."

"And my name's Redford. You can call me that or Sarge. Nevertheless, we're all in this mess together now," spoke the sergeant before the squad head for a modified M939 Truck.

"Right Sarge. Do you know which squad I'm supposed to belong to?" asked Preston still standing.

Sweetwater starts the conversation in the background, "Practically speaking Hags, we're all smell clean since most of us never experienced combat before."

Haggard replied, "Does outdoor hunting and blowing things up count?"

"I am talking about firefights with gun-toting bad guys like crazy terrorists or a dictator's professional army. Respectively, the Sarge might be one of the few in B-Company who had real-life experiences dealing with those scenarios. And yet no one expected a magical gate to appear in the middle of a city and unleashed a Roman-like army that wrecked the place in a murder spree."

"And yet they were beaten back by guns in the end. Talk about bringing a knife to a gunfight, Sweets!"

As the two continued talking, the newcomer asked Redford after a short time waiting, "Sarge?"

"You can ride with us! New guy!"

"New guy? Alright then," stated the private before joining Bravo One Charlie.

Once inside the back bench of the truck, the squad view the slim TV screen just in time to see the motivating speeches from Japan's prime minister Motoi, US Army general Braidwood, the Marine Corps commander, and JSDF lieutenant general Hazama in that order.

"Man, I kinda wish I volunteer for the marines! They looked so mean and deadly compare to the Japanese army or even our own right here!" said the redneck.

"Maybe you could if you haven't kept making our own stuff explode! Second of all, the JSDF is still a defense force bound by their postwar constitution even with the increase of troops in the past several months before the Ginza event. Not an actual army," Sweetwater responded.

"Ah, shut it!"

A curious Sanford who saw the presented troops on the screen asked, "Hey Sarge, any word on us receiving armored hazmat suits like the main forces?"

"I don't think we had any shipment related to biohazard protection as of today."

"Well, if we're not getting biohazard suits after going through the Gate then 'Bad' Company's first mission would probably be to serve as guinea pigs for testing the unknown germs on the other side," added the glass-wearing private.

"I'm not sure about getting sick. I did heard about the quarantine zone that lasted for a month after the battle. So far, none of the people inside ever seem to suffer a plague or something. I think we all be okay without the clothing," commented by Haggard.

"That's true for the Tokyo aftermath but there are plenty of info we don't know about on the other world, if we plan to be there for many months or years even."

"Are you done lecturing, Sweetwater?" A short pause follow after the sergeant's command. The squad leader then receive radio transmissions containing orders to move out toward the gate. "Alright boys, it's time to move through!" The engine of the truck comes alive and the US soldiers outside cover the skeletal metal frame of the vehicle's rear section with thick canvas.

"Good luck over there, B-Company!" stated a military service personnel before he turn on the light switch, air conditioner, and then seal the cargo. When that's done, the 6-wheeled transport move with the traffic toward the physical portal. Halfway to the destination, Sanford noticed the eye-glassed squadmate handling a digital pad in his hands.

"Yo, what are you doing with that tablet over there, Sweets?"

"Checking in on our boys on the other side through their camera-feeds."

The redneck asked, "Wait a minute, did you hotwired that thing to take a peek at what our guys are seeing?"

"There's nothing hacked on this exclusive military device, Hags! It already has useful apps pre-installed before we got here as well as pretty much all the soldiers wearing the suits have electronic information network connecting them."

"Well alright mister smart guy who made the Internet sick!"

"Hey! That's more an accident than a deliberate-"

"Pipe it down you two! Something is happening on the video screen," commanded the sergeant as they see a sea of flame in a distance within sight of their own forces at night. Sweetwater was kind enough to wire-link the gadget to the TV set for a bigger picture. Minutes gone by and the group of lights remained still while the Japanese and American forces established defensive positions. When the darkness turn to dawn, the flames give way to a large army in the thousands.

The redneck noticed, "I'll be damn, that's quite an army they have. Wonder how much these people will take a beating?" A few minutes later, the enemy in mass start their attack on the defenses. After moving several yards however, the attackers receive barrages of artillery, tank, and machine gun rounds without making a scratch onto the defenders. Not even the wyverns are safe from guided missiles and anti-air fire. "Holy cow! Now that's a lot of explosions! Hey Sweets, can you dial up the sound?"

"Sorry rural guy, it's video only. Even if that is available, the audio could attract unwanted attention on Bad Company and reveal the secret purpose to Japan or perhaps the entire globe."

"Son of a gun on that reason to not enjoy the noise of blowing up stuff, no matter how far we are from the-!" said Haggard until he thought of something. "Uh, kind of think about it. It's actually more fun to be at the battlefield than just watching it on a couch."

"Can we talk later when we arrive, ladies?!" Redford voiced his annoyance.

52 minutes forward….

The vehicles bringing in B-Company finally arrived on Alnus Hill in the initial phase of reinforcing the defense perimeter. Yet they continue to move toward a large designated area further away from the main sector that will drop off the military group. Once there, the company exit out of the convoy and be guided by discreetly informed U.S. troops to establish one of several defensive zones surrounding the planned central region for a bigger fort.

"This is quite a mundane start toward my retirement goal," commented the sergeant as Bravo One Charlie began digging the trench line.

"Hold on, Sarge. How old are you today?" questioned Preston.

"41 years old, Marlowe. In one year, I'll be honorary discharged from the US Army for good."

"Oh wow. Normally you would retire around the age of fifty or sixty, Sarge. So how did you made it happen?"

"Eh, I actually made a deal with the top brass. They would shorten my term once I voluntarily transfer to B-Company. The moment I'm finished serving this group of misfits for an extended period of time, this expedition and other wars that follow will all belong to yourselves while I'll be fishing somewhere else."

"So you didn't do anything wrong to the military?"

"Nope, just getting tired of what's happening to the army for a long time."

Haggard joined the chat, "So new guy, I bet you're wondering why 4 nice guys like us ended up in Bad Company."

"Eh, I already told him my reason to be in this lot and I doubt that he'll be wondering for long."

Sweetwater invite himself as well, "Well Haggard here blew up the biggest ammo depository in the State of Texas, I myself unintentionally planted a virus to the army's secured network, and Sanford… huh…?"

"Hey you there! You have plenty to talk about after the trench work or sundown!" reminded an American soldier.

One week afterwards….

In one of the Imperial mines far from Alnus Hill and the capital of Sadera are thousands of slaves mining the valuable ores with picks and shovels. Whether human or otherwise, they all had to live with appalling conditions and the cruelty from the mine owners, bodyguards, and slave drivers. On this day though, one person had have enough of the inhumanity and stop working. One of the slave drivers spotted this defiance and proceed to get the man back in order.

"Come on you worthless slave! Get back to mining!" shouted the corrupt individual as he began to whip the fed-up person. "I said get back to-!" The Imperial then receive a hard hit by the man's fist followed by a series of beatings.

"Fuck you! Fuck your slavery you Roman bastard! I'm a goddamn American, not a slave!" yelled the captive in English. Quickly afterwards, the escapee attempt to get out of the mine. Unfortunately, he was caught again just as the American got so close to the exit. The mine enforcers then give him many beatings for this bravado. It became so severe that some lines of orange light in a tree branch-like pattern oddly appear on his body. The enforcers noticed this after the beatings but move on to lock the defiant person in a dungeon room and went back to their positions. Several minutes goes by, the prisoner regain consciousness and wonder to himself if he'll find a way back home or die trying. In an instance, sounds of yells and screams echoed throughout the mine; capturing the captive's attention. He then heard blasts similar to gunfire and explosions follow by painful cries.

"What in the underworld is going on out there?" the mine warden concerned before he felt a backstab between his head and neck as well as a strong grip on the cranium almost simultaneously. The Imperial scream in pain feeling the crushing pressure exerted from the hand of a nearly invisible intruder behind him. In 30 seconds, the cloaked assailant tear out the head from the whole body and then completely crush the skull with its same hand. After removing the assassin blade from the corpse and retract it under his arm, the saviour become visible and smash the lock.

"Are you alright, sir?" asked the rescuer who surprises the American with fluent English but in some form of distortion.

"I'm still breathing at least," replied the man struggling to get up and stand. "Did you know how long I stayed here by any chance?"

"Two months and eight days in the mine. Right now though, we need to leave immediately!"

Before the freed prisoner can say something, blue armored soldiers with energy rifles came to the dungeon and talk to the undercover operative in an unknown language. "What are they saying?" the man wondered. After the quick situational conversation, the squad proceed to free the slaves from their holding pens.

"We can discuss later. Time to move now!"

During the escape, the human saw hundreds of imperial bodyguards and mercenaries lying dead all over the carved terrain due to burnt holes, blunt damages, stabs, or slashes made on their vital body parts. At same time, hundreds of combatants in green or blue armor suits guide the liberated population to go outside the mine. Notably, the American spotted several soldiers in grey, white, or camouflage colors escorting sixteen people separate from the masses at a distance. Once on the exterior, the escapee witness a battle between the rescue force and incoming centuries of Imperials. More precisely, the Sadera troops are being massacred by futuristic guns and… wait, VTOL aircraft firing rockets and laser beams? If he knew the name, then it would be A-15 Orca mark III twin duct-fanned gunship modified to use 2 rocket pods and 2 particle beam cannons. What happens next came airborne transports landing on a flat plain away from the fighting.

"Here come the medivacs. Everyone get inside!" ordered the rescuer. With the selected group all in, the vehicles take off from the ground and head toward the nearby starship floating in the air. Meanwhile, larger transports of Eldar design fly to the same landing zone to be available for carrying the freed slaves.

Back at the forward operation on Alnus Hill the next day…. (BOOM!)

A series of explosions occurred on the unfinished trench line that B-Company is responsible for; accompanied by an excited laughter from one George Gordon Haggard Jr.

"Wahaha! Yeehaa!"

"Haggard! What the hell just happened right now?!" demanded sergeant Samuel Redford whose squad found him and the aftermath smokes.

"Well Sarge, I felt that it is taking too long to finish the trenches. So I thought that some explosives might help us dig more dirt out."

"Haggard, explosives are used against enemy buildings and vehicles. Not for digging trenches!" yelled the sergeant.

"Yeah Hags, that's a lot more craters made from just a few dynamites you mentioned! Speaking of which, where did you grab those demolition stuff?" questioned private Terrence Sweetwater.

"Uh, can you guys give me time to think about it?"

Just then, everyone in Bravo One Charlie hear and see the incoming roar of a military jeep toward them at high speed. Attached onto the vehicle is the emblem of the JSDF. "Wow Hags, I wonder how the Japanese will react when they find out that you stole their explosives?!" said Sweetwater.

"Ugh… alright everyone, get yourselves in good behavior while Sweetwater and I will communicate about this situation," spoke Redford.

As the automobile come to a stop, the squad notice that only the driver was inside the car. The armor-sealed person get out of the vehicle and walk fast in the direction facing the sergeant and eye-glassed soldier while carrying a Type 64 rifle. "Ne, soko ni nani ga okotte iru amerikahito?!" the trooper called in a feminine voice.

"A soldier girl, huh?" commented Preston in the background despite her wearing a visor-helmet.

"Tell her the situation sarge," Terrence stated to Samuel who nodded in reply.

"Ma'am, we unexpectedly encountered complications on this area when several of our digging equipment exploded for unknown reasons."

"Uh… watashitachi no kussaku... kikai no ikutsu ka wa,... ima no jōkyō o... shirazu ni jibun-tachi o... hakai shimashita," the private wearing the eyeglasses translated to her in a different meaning at his best effort.

However, the woman behind the covered visor and glass faceplate actually knew what they're saying in both Japanese and English. As well as knowing that these Americans are hiding something. "Sore wa watashitachi no dan'yaku chozōko kara no kakete iru C 4 to kankei ga arimasu ka?"

Sweetwater paused himself at what she knew, quickly look at Haggard closeby, and spoke to the African sergeant that the lady want to know if C4s were involved in this incident. After being surprised, Redford replied in English, "What got you thinking that explosives were used here?"

"Okay uh… Naze bakuhatsu-mono ka?" the private shorten the translation.

Still have room to playing around, the female soldier said, "Sate, watashi wa sakuya nerumae ni, gunju-hin no tame no JSDF hokan basho no 1tsu o miru kikai o emashita. Gozen-chū ni me o samashita nochi, onaji depo ni nanika kawatta koto ga kidzuita toki, watashi wa itsumo heishi to shite no gimu o saikai shimasu. Watashi ga hakken shita no wa, C 4 pakku no katamari ga kakete ita to iu kotodeshita. Sūfungo, watashitachi ga ima doko ni tatte iru ka to iu hōkō kara bakuhatsu-tekina oto ga kikoemashita. Sore ni taiō shite, watashi wa jīpu o tori, bakuhatsu-mono to kono kimyōna koto o musubitsukenagara sōsu ni mukatta."

Sweetwater with a blank face tell the sergeant what he could comprehend, "Oh, um… Sarge… she found out by chance that someone took their dynamites and put that fact together with the big boom she heard. Now the service woman herself is here to discern one of us being responsible for the explosions we witness!"

Taking it unexpectedly for several seconds, Redford pose a question to her. "Okay young lady, have you notify your superiors about your findings?"

"Not just yet, sir!" she answered in clear English; which got the two Americans dumbstruck.

"I… didn't think you could speak English," commented the glass wearing private.

"Well, now you know! And that includes understanding the answers and questions you gave to me!" The JSDF individual lift up her armored visor to reveal an annoyed face behind the glass. "So let move on to this important question: Which one of you idiotic foreigners decided to steal and then detonate our bombs?!"

Almost all eyes instantly turn toward Haggard. "Duh… Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

Before the military woman can act on this revelation, another JSDF vehicle drive up to the location very close and stop. "Kuribayashi fuku chōkan, nani ga shiagatta no?" asked the armor enclosed soldier who just exited from the car.

"Itami chūsa, watashi wa kono Amerika hito ga bakuhatsu-mono o purei shite iru koto kara nanrakano kankaku o uchinomesu shoki no katei ni imashita!"

"Dakara kare no mondai wa nanidesu ka?"

"Mondai? Kare wa sorera o bakuha shita!"

"Ima, ima Shino. Watashitachiha, sono yōna dōmeikuni ni mukete no panchi de, watashitachi no mondai no subete o kaiketsu suru dakede wa arimasen," the lieutenant calmly said.

"Nan, shinken ni! Anata wa daremoga ochitsuite ite, koko no gaikoku hito wa mukizu no mama ni shite okitaidesu ne?!"

"Hangu appu, hangu appu. Kaiketsusaku o hanasu koto ga dekireba yoi kamo shiremasen."

"Shikashi, sā! Anata wa hontōni kore o ninshiki shite imasen ka-?"

"Ma'am, could you please make a report to your superiors today?! And besides, my nation's top brass will eventually notice this mischief and be dealt with. Okay?" Redford intervened in English after hearing a rough translation from Sweetwater on this conversation about taking justice by her hands or other means to resolve this explosive foolishness.

"Mmm… ugh, alright fine. Just be wary of 'geek slacker' over here!" warned Shino as she head back to the automobile and then drive off.

"Geek slacker?" both the sergeant and private curiously stated.

"My apologies, Ms. Kuribayashi can be very… dedicated to her job. I hope she didn't rub you the wrong way, did she now?" Itami talked in English and lift up his visor to reveal his face as he walk to them.

"I haven't seen her doing anything bad yet but thanks for the concern... from someone who can speak my language by the way."

"Eh, eh… well, I only thought to be useful in looking at your country's translations and performances on our manga and anime respectively."

"Uh, what does that suppose to- uh never mind. So, do you want something from us at this point?" asked Redford.

"Gah… how about everyone's name in your squad first? Oh, I should introduce myself sooner. Lieutenant Itami of the JSDF."

"Sergeant Redford of the US Army, lieutenant."

"The name's Sweetwater here; private rank, IT specialist, and one of the smarter people with an SAT score close to 1500."

"Oh, that's… nice to see you," replied Itami being a bit puzzled.

"Well... if you need someone to talk a hole into your head, this is the guy," added the American squad leader.

"That's a cheap shot, sir! I don't talk that much!"

"Quiet, Sweets. The next person over there is Private Haggard, our natural-born demolition expert."

"Is that a nice compliment Sarge? 'Cus I'm just a guy who likes stuff go boom!" the redneck proclaimed.

"Just make sure they're enemy properties, okay Haggard?" Sanford reminded.

"Okey-dokey, buddy!"

"That's Private Sanford. Closer to being a model soldier but still tends to not think thoroughly about his actions," commented Redford.

"I am still trying my best to fix that, Sarge," remarked Sanford who received a nod from the sergeant.

"And then comes the new guy of our squad, Private Marlowe."

"Uh… can we talk at a later time Sarge? Because I noticed more guys from our army heading to this location," Marlowe prompted.

"Mmm… alright, soldier. Will do," answered Samuel who then speak to Itami. "Looks like we need to end soon and get back to work. It may take a few more days to finish the defenses in this sector."

"Good luck to you then, may we meet again at another time!" exclaimed the JSDF lieutenant with a friendly expression as he made it to the military vehicle and leave to their own sector.

"Geez, that guy seemed too relaxed for a lieutenant."

Forward a few weeks back on Earth….

Somewhere in South America are a group of motorcycles moving toward an illegal crop field that produced dangerous psychedelic drugs inside a protected forest area. In fact, it's one of several things that threatens every ecosystem all over the planet like large scale logging, encroaching agriculture, uncontrolled urban development, and yes, poaching for the wildlife trade. The ten riders are armed with assault rifles, sub-machine guns, hand pistols, machetes, and knives. They do not care about long-term consequences that will devastate their lands, biodiversity, people's health, or other qualities of life. These criminals working for their drug lords think of only one thing: money. Once they reached the place, the gang dismount and walk in the direction to a shanty house inhabited by a man who supposed to have enough material for the production of this drug. On the way, the thugs noticed that the desired plants were ripe for the picking but left unharvested and unattended.

"Hey! Mr. Corenza! What is going on with our assets over here?!" the leader shouted in the common language without getting a response. After arriving at the shack of wood and metal, the top criminal knock on the door once and find it unlocked... revealing a corpse torn to pieces. "Holy shit!"

"Who or what could have done this to poor Corenza?" a gangster asked.

"I don't know. We better inform the boss about this bloody mess and ask him for a possible replacement or a hunt on the intruder. Boys, time to go back!" All the thugs walk back to the parked vehicles with the top-rank criminal just behind the group.

As three of them get their motorbikes ready, one man spot something on the ground and near the machines. "What's that on the dirt?" In an instant, three explosions rock the area and killed five men. The rest are knock down from the blasts and disoriented. One managed to get up before the gang until he receive a hard fist to his face. A squad of human-like beings converge toward the site and incapacitate them on the terrain.

"Gah! Who the fuck are you?" shouted the disarmed gang leader.

"Why does that matter to you?" asked the cloaked figure in a slightly distorted voice while kneeling down for a closer distance at him.

"What? You just attacked the men of Machete De Moncro, our mighty boss! When he finds out about this, the big man will send hundreds of his loyal pals to hunt you down, torture you, and make you sorry for stepping upon our lands! YOU! WILL! [one finger torn off and blood spill out out of the dismemberment] GAAH! AAAAHHH!" the male screamed in pain.

"Your land? You call this god-given home of yours, just... your... land?! After many years of living here as an inhabitant of this jewel of life, did you ever considered the grave consequences coming from your dreadful actions?!"

"Aagh, what the hell is up with you! We were once poor, struggling to make a living for years until our leader gave us jobs and money! What gave you the right to stop our lives like that?!"

"We don't. But you chose to commit crimes that endanger not only the tribes and multitude of species that called this grand forest home but also the lives of people outside! Can you imagine the massive amount of pollution being released from such deforestation, do you all?!"

"Guh... So why such tree-hugging assholes like you are being serious about that?!"

"Contrary to whatever misguided beliefs or self-imposed denials you have inside your head, such large mass of pollutants will not stay in one place! They will surely spread across the globe and wreck havoc on every delicate, natural system that allow the vast diversity of all organisms to live and thrive! I could also add the other hazardous particles coming from ecosystems being burn down by human activities; not to mention high concentrations of carbon dioxide being expelled from the unbelievable overuse of fossil fuels for your so-called civilizations that I could talk a lot for hours on end!"

"Gosh, you sure like to talk much... bird-loving shit! How about you do the same toward the Americans, Chinese, and even the Russians?! They're getting more publicity as culprits for this man-made climate change! Hell, there are millions of Americans who just can't get enough of the 'products' that we were growing for them!"

"An obvious observation on my squad being far away from such greater offenders like the Russian Federation, People's Republic of China, and the United States of America. So yes... one squad... out of two recon divisions that managed to sneak out of the magical 'Gate' from the other side and into the capital city of Japan."

"Magic gate... Japan... what the fuck are you talking about?!"

"I guess you're not an avid news reader then. Alright, you better listen on what I am saying as of now. Over 8 months ago, a portal was open between Earth and a planet belonging to an alternate dimension where dragons, elves, orcs, and other fantasy creatures exist in flesh and blood. Only the problem was that those species were not truly native to the magical world. From our discoveries, we concluded that these beings actually came from the same portal that continues to open and close between periods of hundreds or thousands of years. In each repeat, new creatures arrived from different planets or dimensions. The last time the gate got activated was two millenniums ago when the recent newcomers enter the realm: humans. Over time, that humanity expanded and dominated an entire continent even without industrialization. Thus, the first ones to 'discover' this doorway were men of the enormous Saderan Empire where its society is very much reminiscent of the once-powerful Roman Empire in ancient Europe. When a few scouts went through the portal, they were... awestruck... by the Japanese urban landscape and activities of Tokyo. But here's the weird part: the people of the capital city just ignored them as costume players wearing Roman outfits. It also happened to some of us whenever we intentionally deactivate our cloaking devices after crossing over to Tokyo. I mean... Jesus, some of the Japanese culture over there are just too irrational for our soldiers to contemplate when making comparison to the other 'Japan' that took a different route of history and culture."

"Uh... wait, another Japan?"

"A Japan in an alternate universe where the nation took a careful approach toward sustainable development instead of becoming an empire, which made them a bit more 'holistic' than even the imperialistic Japs with their corrupt Bushido codes of the 20th century. That was thousands of years ago by our records though, so let us go back to the more serious topics. Unknown to the 'primitive' scouts, our stealth teams immediately noticed this interplanetary anomaly and proceeded to explore the other side undetected. Like the humans, we were quite amazed at the sight of the area since we haven't been to a modernized human city for a long time. For the sake of curiosity, both parties began to learn more about the place they entered for several days. The Roman-like men continued to be astonished by the Japanese culture while on the other hand, the wow factor on us started to... 'deteriorate' once we wondered about the power source for the urban infrastructure and where their garbage goes to. Which led us to several power-generating facilities that provide electricity to their cities by using energy of the sun, wind, geothermal, tidal waves, and even nuclear fission; as well as efficient waste management sites. That's not the problem... the sense of enchantment was put aside after locating coal power-plants that did not have filtration systems to remove dangerous byproducts like carbon dioxide being mentioned before. Kind of think about it, one CO2 molecule doesn't seem so threatening by itself unless there were a thousand coal stations that each expelled hundreds of thousands of them to the atmosphere every year; which we already found out through your worldwide digital knowledge and-!

"Will you... STOP TALKING! Gah, what the hell is the point of all this stupid conversation you bastard?!"

"Fine... so simply put, we are seriously pissed! Pissed that many species of plants and animals on this treasured world are at the edge of extinction because of your perverse and ravenous search for miracles, wealth, pleasures, and violence! Pissed that this global situation has been going on for many decades and all of you knew it! Pissed that millions of people in every hierarchy still continue to intentionally lie everyone about the reality for their own short-term benefits! Pissed that you setup a possible extinction event for humanity! And we're very, very- eh, what that sound?" The attacker look toward the sound of incoming motorcycles, which happens to be more gangsters from this gang's drug boss, before receiving a hit to the face by a metal bike handle that the male leader managed to grab.

The upright man swing the broke-off bike part a few times at the unknown person until he heard a loud explosion. When he turn his head, the human saw debris of body parts belong to most of the reinforcement. Seconds later, two beams of light at the rear tear up the remaining vehicles with each horizontal swing. Few survivors are lying on the ground in pain with dismembered limbs and unfortunately for them, their opponents are not in the mood for a clean kill as the rest of the platoon come out of hiding. With that distraction, the wounded assailant grab the gang leader's hand holding the improvised tool and then rip it out of his now blood-spilling arm. "WAAAAH! AAAHHH! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU ALL TO-," screamed the criminal who then get knocked to the ground again by the person with an exposed eye. It didn't take long for the human to see that the eye is not organic and surrounded with wired circuits and metal components slowly healing from that last attack.

"I guess you're wondering what my eyes had seen over the course of eight months. Raw data of carbon gas concentration over 400 particles per million that reconfirmed the existence of human-caused climate change. Greater numbers of discarded plastics floating in the oceans, littering on beaches, ingested inside animals which led to agonizing deaths, and even inside a lot of you when eating contained food. Large-scale overfishing and intense exploitation on many organisms living in environments that keep the whole human race alive. So much illegal activities and other serious problems continued to bring unneeded suffering on the unfortunates. Hell, there also the wide presence of weapons of mass destruction that includes almost 12,000 nuclear warheads ready to incinerate this planet many times over without a real backup plan! Can you ever understand how so much of your technological marvels and vast recorded histories can be wipe out by nuclear war or natural disasters intensified by your greedy meddling?!"

"SO WHAT?! Ah, why would a robot-no... a manufactured monster like you care about this?! You are not even human!"

"Monster... human... what do you mean by the word 'human?' We heard many different groups on this globe proclaiming themselves to be God's chosen people; that they can do no wrong, to be kind and gentle toward strangers, to believe in holy commands of the Almighty by a spiritual leader, and all other benevolent duties that humanity itself was supposed to do. And yet we witnessed plenty of examples showing humans doing the opposite of their promised responsibilities! So I will ask... oh wait, getting sleepy over there aren't you?" the metallic operative noticed. "Mmm, how about this to stay awake?" The robotic platoon leader first step is removing one of the gang leader's shoes.

"Hey, what are you doing?! Don't touch me! Let go of my foot! Let go of... oh fuck! Don't! Stop that! Stop it NOW! [Toes broken apart from the foot] AAAAHHHH! GAAAAHHH! WHY! OH GOD WHY?!"

"I could have said something equally about the chances to stop being an hostile violator for the rest of your life. But you seem to not want this evil life to cease. So does those who continue to commit abuses on their own families, vicious racial insults or murders on decent humans, undercover enslavement for profit, genocides on benign people and their irreplaceable cultures, poaching on endangered species, and other countless violations on this world. Which led us to these questions: When will all of you ever stop these horrific irrationalities?! How long can you humans do these despicable acts before leaving behind almost nothing but absolute ruins of life, history, and technology on this planet?!"

"Then just leave this shithole you find yourselves in! Go back to wherever you mechanized demons came from!"

The AI individual paused for a short time before resuming his response. "The 'Gate' in Tokyo, Japan is under the jurisdiction of the Japan Self-Defense Forces all thanks to the stupid decision by the Saderans to invade and conquer the city rather than choosing diplomacy. Even without that unfortunate event happening however, do you expect us to leave after seeing so much malcontents? Can we really ignore this unabated insanity across your home?! And where are we going back to: a magical fantasy that has not changed for millenniums or our original universe with only a few purposes left for us to act on? It may sound cruel for you to hear this but we're in some ways... bored. Us being tired of not intervening the messed-up realm being kept stagnant for eons by pantheons of tangible gods that are difficult to be stopped. Unfazed by trillions of humanity living and dying across several galaxies in our own dimension thanks to assistance from us. Ironically though, that success left us a small amount of 'opportunities' to take. Last but not the least, we no longer have much patience to watch the rebirth of biological life for thousands or even theoretically millions of years after a global catastrophe! Hence the necessity to bring a full corps to your global mess."

"Oh, how noble are you to say all that shit! Then maybe you all can go and visit HELL! There got to be a zillion devils and even the Great Corrupter himself for goody crusaders like you guys to fight and- [one lower leg torn apart] GAAAH! NOT AGAIN! FUCK!"

"Damn, you're quite persistent for an insult to our ancestral makers. Yet you gangsters do not have the guts to confront your own inner demons and... eh... uh... oh screw the long talk! Time to die painfully for your crimes, you asshole!" The metal intruder instantly tear up the rest of the man's limbs one joint at a time while the victim scream and curse at the so-called robot. Next comes the tearing of the reproductive organs out of this man's body by hand. After that come a foot kick to the lower jaw. The final phase of the torturous execution involves several more beatings all over the dismembered person before the attacker pull his head out and then just drop it on the ground. That scene gave the surviving gang chills to their spines. "Ugh, alright platoon... execute these offenders piece by piece like their leader down there."

One horrified captive yelled, "NO! Please no! We all got your lessons! We just had enough of this business right now! Let us go and we'll be good to everyone in our lands! Please, have mercy on us!"

One platoon combatant asked, "Sir, should we halt their terminations?"

Another pause for seconds follow by a reply, "The total human population is close to 8 billion, which poses a problem in resource management on this lonely planet. That said, you guys could had chosen better solutions for your civilizations instead of becoming painful thorns in the first place. A really big shame that you all didn't quit this life of crime sooner before we got here. Everyone... resume their eliminations," the platoon commander ordered which shocked the unfortunate lawbreakers.

"No. Oh Hell NO! Please WAIT! We don't want to die! We just want to live! I beg you, I WANT TO LIVE MORE! [one thumb removed from the hand] AAAAAHHHH! AAAHHH! Mommy! MOMMY!"

One of the mechanized torturers who torn away the thumb said, "Sorry pals, it's an order and a necessary warning for any thoughtful people having limited time to rethink about being evil criminals." Several units from the platoon look at the killings that slowly rip apart the remaining gang one small body part at a time while the constrained men scream, squeal, and cry in agony.

A few did not after a very short time.

"Was it necessary to give a long, torturous exposition to a dead man walking?" a robotic soldier standing among the tropical trees asked.

"What else can we do in these so-called clandestine operations? Months of committing quick kills can somewhat leave us unsatisfied and it seems that our 'clean shots' did not stop more humans from making destructive decisions," stated the leader.

"Understandable. Still, our latest actions today may make one decent 'human' to critically question our effort to um... 'save' this world."

"Hmm, considering how many bad choices and neglects were made by humanity in the decades or centuries before we even arrived on this parallel Earth, peaceful interventions may actually cause more people to be too arrogant, irresponsible, sluggish, greedy, and/or other unwanted absurdities in excess."

"How about telling that statement to humans who thinks otherwise?" The warrior got a silent response. "Okay... maybe not this year. Kind of think about it, there something missing in that elongated speech of yours. Let see now:

One, the advanced and space-faring civilization of the Eldar who are worthy to be respected despite the recent issues to deal with a portion of them showing Zerg characteristics... which makes number two for the constantly evolving animals living next to the humanoids for a very long time;

Three, the trigger-happy Orks that kept us busy for centuries and probably rubbed some behaviors on us like what happened in the latest executions;

Number 4, we had developed several new tricks that may stop or even destroy one of these Falmarian gods albeit harder to implement;

Five, how the Japanese did not detect the space-time portal because of its location in one of Tokyo's darken alleyways that allowed us to covertly send two divisions of special forces in three months uninterrupted before the Imperial fiasco;

Six, how our attachment to every beauty on this planet, both natural and artificial, became so strong after staying here for months that our present forces are willing to fight ferociously for this world to continue bringing out wonders for future human generations instead of erasing these 'treasures';

Number 7, how we quickly spread across the Pacific Ocean due to us hiding in cargo ships, oil tankers, whaling ships, fishing trawlers, cargo planes, and other forms of transportation without drawing attention to the human authorities and harming the um... Oh wait, we did occasionally kill off or dump out a ship's whole crew that can't stop destroying the endangered sea life or people during our hijackings as well as fending off pirates on the stolen vessels in lawless areas;

Now where was I, a-ahem... Eight, the unexpected but successful efforts by the Saderans to transform the tear into a permanent, structural gate in the middle of the Ginza shopping district;

Nine, our operations' double purpose as distractions for the human populations and governments from our hidden drones still building a larger star-gate for this planet;

Ten, how lucky they are that we're not in the vicious business of annihilating all life on Earth unlike a few intergalactic species that are still murderous to practically everyone else ... uh, what's with that funny look on your face?" the AI inquired after seeing his commander in an annoyed stance.

"Can you stop there? Because our captured thugs are all dead now and we should move again for a search on this Machete De Moncro drug lord."

"Fine, sir." The subordinate obeyed and started to interact a handheld device for a song... out of millions downloaded a few days after entering the Japanese city. The advanced gadget is then wire-connected to his artificial head while moving to the platoon.

"What are you doing with that tool right now?" questioned the leader in motion.

"Finding an old song from the 1960s in- oh, here we go."

"So... what is it?"

"'Paint It, Black' by The Rolling Stones in 1966."

Somewhere in Siberia a few days later...

A military car drove thru the snow-covered forests on an unpaved road. By chance, someone inside notice something within the trees as they travel. The vehicle stopped and two Russian soldiers in winter uniforms come out to walk toward the targeted area with Dragunov rifles and Makarov PM pistols. One male and one female to be sure. Once there, the scouts discovered body parts scattered all over the place and a metal sheet next to a tree with Russian words saying: 'Enough Poaching You Greedy Bastards!'

"Sergeant Kamarov, this is Yuri. Nadaysha and I found corpses all torn-up to pieces over the site," the military man radioed.

"Copy Reznov. Any clue to who the victims were and the perpetrators?"

"With all due respect sir, the two of us just got here and wish a request from you to start investigating. Over."

"The investigation will start after I arrive at your location. So wait for a moment as I communicate back to base for an assembled team to come to our current location and properly gather the bodies for autopsies. Then I will get out of the car. Can you copy?"

"Copy Sergeant, we will wait."

A few minutes later, the female marksman said a comment as she pointed a finger at the written warning. "Well, it seem that someone must has been too harsh to take animal protection into their own hand, don't you think?"

"Maybe so miss Volkova. Although I hope it's just a coincidence not related to recent news in the past few weeks."

"You mean the worldwide, merciless deaths of those linked to the illicit traffickings of drugs, wildlife, weapons, people, and such controversies?"

"Any concern about these unknown vigilantes, comrade?"

"Dah... I'm not sure if I should appraise them for alleviating some pressure from us 'active patriots' or scold these guys for doing the dirty work without authorizations from our government or any other authority on-." Her statement is interrupted by the arrival of Kamarov.

"Soldiers, let's start concentrating on the evidence instead of talking while our investigation group prepare themselves in the local base!"

It took a dozen minutes to detect all the clues they can find on the bloody scene.

"Sergeant, this severed head looked very familiar to a repeated offender charged with multiple poaching operations," the woman notified.

"Do you remember the name, then?"

"Might have been Veagio Abroketo if my memory serve well after spending some time looking at wanted posters at the local police and military stations."

"Hmm... this is getting eerily similar to numerous macabre disclosures found in mainland China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the rest of Southeast Asia. All were involved in illegal black markets on endangered species, psychedelic drugs, and... ugh, why should I be thinking about these problems?" Kamarov thought about it until he heard a radio message from the recon vehicle. "Yes comrade?"

Meanwhile in the United States - - hours before sunrise...

An electrical substation surrounded by grassy hills and forest patches has been up and running since yesterday's morning, which distributed electric power received from a fossil fueled power plant to a few towns and factories. One would be amazed that this facility continued to function after its completion near the end of the 1950s. On the other hand, it has little to no renovations to protect the transformers and other vital components from an electromagnetic pulse of a coronal mass ejection shot out from the sun or a deliberate EMP weapon. Like most substations connected to the continent-wide electrical grids, the utility companies ignored recommendations to 'harden' the facilities for decades with arguments that such upgrades could increase prices for customers and decrease their profit values. So there's nothing particular about this power distribution site among many...

...Except for being the first target to be attacked by a fireteam of camouflaged AI fighters who are armed with a shoulder-fire weapon that emits an energy beam with the same power as a solar flare. No harm against organic creatures but very destructive on unshielded electronics. At the moment though, the group being a distance away from the substation are waiting for the final command to fire as the rest of their platoon get into positions to 'decommission' the power-plant without burning or exploding the fuels inside. Another platoon, while split into smaller teams, is concurrently in the large area to raise their small 'theropods' brought from the Gate in Japan for potential invasive 'pest' control, 'deal' with unproductive drug addicts, and keep observations on a couple of 'American' groups expressing hate-filled rhetoric on any people they dislike.

"So... what do you guys think about this federal republic known as the United States of America?" a soldier whispered.

"Well, there are the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, dozens of large national parks, incredible levels of diverse cultures and ethnicity, military might of the United States Armed Forces, and other very intriguing things that this nation had done in its history of almost two and a half centuries," the second individual holding the energy cannon quietly replied.

"That's just the good news, right?"

A third combatant interjected, "If you could exclude the painful interactions between the native descendants of the first ancient immigrants in North America and those descended from the early European colonization throughout this parallel history, that is. I could also add the multiple pockets of racism on minorities, especially on African Americans after emancipation from slavery; the gap between rich and poor; how much ecosystems essential for all lifeforms, including humans, were destroyed by unregulated industrialization and their pollution; high consumer rates; deadly religious cults; aging infrastructures; and the rest of the actions made by both governments and people that we found them to be highly questionable."

"Yet millions of US citizens are putting in their efforts to better improve their sovereign nation albeit moving a little bit slower at this time," added by the previous second fighter.

"It doesn't help that the giant oil corporations and coal companies spent billions of dollars more on lobbying for delays on renewable power sources. I could also add that despite growing evidences of countless hydrocarbon resources running out everywhere, those corporate entities continue to drill more expensive oil wells at sea and more high-cost coal mining with little output instead of commercializing synthetic oils from modified algae, artificial photosynthesis, and/or other processes that turn carbon dioxide and many pollutants into different products like ethanol or something else useful. I mean - I get it, they're scared of large profit losses and decreasing influence to emerging competitions for energy such as solar and wind. Nevertheless, their huge wealth will definitely be worthless if the continuous poisoning from the smokestacks onto the planet wreck so much devastation that there would be nothing... absolutely nothing for them to buy or even to live in. Adding to that issue is the persistent idea inside numerous people that nature will never change and forever stay the same, no matter how much humankind can do. Well that's bullshit self-denial over there! Our digital eyes and equipment had seen the excessive amount of pollutants trapping more sun heat in the atmosphere for many months now! If these destructive behaviors continued as usual, then-"

"We know, we know! The world wide web is very useful in reconfirming our observations on man-made climate change. Of course, we do felt concern about the presence of fabricated reports and news circulating within the global network that can stray people away from the real situation. Then there's a governmental attempt inside this representative democracy to try to delete or even manipulate the data of valid climate records five months ago. How unbelievably insulting that is to lie your own people in such a crisis!" the first soldier said.

"No kidding about that to a land of the free and home of the brave plus their 'American Dreams.' And let's not carried away on the huge number of cattle being raised for their meat at the cost of more forests getting cut down and methane gas leaking out of their... um... anuses."

"Geh, eh, eh. That minor joke on how such an anatomical word rhymes with the Holy Hill of Alnus... or was it Arnus? Anyway, what's the probability that we're going to survive these catastrophes of their own makings?"

"Very high on us to be standing intact if having less regards on anything or anyone left alive. So let's be clear, I'm almost two hundred years old since my commission but who would want to wait for possibly millenniums or millions of years to see new life diversify again into multitudes of species and ecosystems to rise from the ashes?"

"Definitely not us artificial intelligence and perhaps not them but by the time that life cycle renew again, humanity here will already be dead immediately after the hypothetical aftermath. And please do not remind me again on this month about the magical continent stuck in medieval stasis for God knows how long. Hmm... while on the topic of interventions, why not simply build and create everything from scratch when their doomsday scenarios to absolute ruin are finished; or outright repair the world after the activation of the new star-gate?"

"Oh yeah, we had done that act before... by the millions on barren planets back to our universe. Yet that type of work seems to be too easy or quick to finish recently, despite our full presence being confined in only several galaxies compared to the unexplored vastness of the cosmos. What's more: the idea of just watching everything self-destruct to emptiness, then recreate a new reality on top of a realm that's not even ours while sweeping aside whatever came before, resembled much more to a somber travesty of who we all once were in the past. Seriously, do we truly represent this humanity with a far different history, culture, and progress than what our ancestral creators had gone through? Are we so heartless to-ah... ugh, let just say that we developed a very strong fondness on this Earth that wasn't experienced for a long time. And I'm not going to repeat myself on the unintended consequences of fixing stuff in the open at this time."

"Noted. Well then, duh... does anybody want to say something about the guns in this country, like this civilian pistol I stolen from a deranged psychopath?"

A fourth combatant did. "I can say for certain that there are lots of guns available to choose for almost every body-able citizen living in the USA. Unfortunately, those weapons sometimes end up in the hands of really deplorable beings such as the recent homegrown terrorist I butchered to death; whose long-barreled ballistic rifle I'm holding now once belong to. Like for Christ's sake, why can't he stop making commitments to massacre children in schools or even stop laughing while being killed piece by piece?"

"Speaking of which, I do wonder if those two angry groups nearby will ever turn a new permanent leaf? If they continued to stay evil, then things can get really gruesome when we respond with force."

"Those hate-filled ramblers will have to wait, regardless of how long it might be unless otherwise. At the moment, our focus is on one of several electric grid substations that are not connected to nuclear reactors, scientific research sites, academic institutions, military bases, and others along that line."

"Well, that sounded... insignificant, if trying to defeat the most powerful nation on this Earth. Especially when we're just frying transformers and other components a few sites at a time."

"The shutdowns of those 'insignificant' grid structures are more like warnings on their lingering neglect on the foundations that made the federal republic a superpower for decades. Natural forces in outer space like a coronal mass ejection can do the same job but that would mean complete destruction of every electric infrastructure around the globe with almost no time to react. Let's hope those losses will stir them to rebuild and reinforce their society's support systems for the better or even go off-grid as if that really matters to us. On the other hand, any mass stagnation in smarter development that are left for too long after the initial EMP attacks may require riskier operations on electrical grid facilities connected to larger fossil-fueled power generators, cities, and military bases. And if by any chance those missions even fail to convince the people here to rework their civilizations, well shame on them for not being the resilient, adaptable, and moral nation they prided themselves to be! I could also say similar words of shamefulness on the rest of the human species that cannot change themselves and repair their ecological life supports for goodness sake. For the lucky part though, we're not insane to harm nuclear energy-production and waste storage sites due to the real risks of radioactive fallout; which are hazardous to practically everything, including our inner circuitry. However, our forces here do not have the appropriate equipment or responsibilities to clean or contain the potential disarray of nuclear meltdown in the obsolete nuclear fission power plants. Kinda wish of them to quickly build safer reactors like this design that can consume nuclear waste for power. But wait... there is another category of objectives that's off our priority list as I remembered: fossil fuel exports heading toward the Gate in Japan for military operations on the other side. Does anyone still find something weird about this command given to us two months ago?"

"As far as we knew, the current consumption rate of hydrocarbon sources remained pretty over the edge around the world. In comparison, the pollution levels of the terrain that surrounded the holy hill in Falmarius are basically nonexistent; which is one of the few good aspects about that unchanged continent. Still, that sort of feature can get really bland for many centuries and thus we have less concerns on those fuels being burn over there rather than the already polluted atmosphere we're dealing with at present. You could visualize it as managements of carbon dioxide emissions since a battalion of ours — staying in Japan — will make sure those supplies are actually crossing thru the Gate and not being consumed anywhere else. In addition, the older military vehicles and equipment deployed at the enchanted landmass by the Japanese and U.S. armed forces are mostly powered by oil, coal, and other nonrenewable energy sources. "

"I wonder how the tangible divine beings and their worshipers on the uh... 'Special Regions,' as someone on Earth flatly named, will react to the latest strangers with their science, technologies, and culture?" the soldier with the electromagnetic beam armament said. "Thanks to the meddling of those polytheistic deities for eons, the Falmarian natives are not as innovative and analytical as they could be in tackling old and new situations; in contrast to many Americans here and in their past."

"Except for a few mages being a bit more scientific in a magical, oceanic equilibrium. By the way though, what got you using the word 'America' for that last sentence as opposed to the other nations in this alternate globe?" the same quizzical warrior asked.

"Can you revisit the irony between us and them? In our divergent timeline, a republic was born on this continent through the bonds between descendants of the first native 'Americans' and the first 'Christians' who boldly immigrated from the Roman Empire before the permanent transformation of its main religion to Christianity as well as its fateful split in two. Many centuries later, a new federation was remade from the old republic to reestablish the basis of equality, liberty, and integrity for all of humanity within its borders due to influx after influx of immigrants and settlers all across the world. Even though that nation no longer exist as an independent superpower after nearly a thousand years of intergalactic explorations and colonization, the attitudes and cultural principles of its diverse people still persist to be emulated by both biological and synthetic progeny living everywhere in several galaxies. By heaven's sake, that includes plenty of personnel within our entire military organization in the magical universe and our current corps on this Earth. As it stands now, we're bringing in disruptions to a country full of humans that almost matches the behaviors and personalities of our ancient, democratic creators."

"So essentially, we synthetics are fighting against a mirror version of ourselves; one that is a bit more ignorant and started at a later time compared to our deviated history of knowledge and wisdom. Well... from a certain perspective, those descriptions seem to make the time-honored federation looked much virtuous than this uh... Estados Unidos de America; if anyone was willing to fully ignore or acknowledge the many conflicts, crises, and issues that uniquely confronted the venerable nation since its inception and rebirth. In that regard, I still have reservations on which side is really the lucky ones. As an example for analogy, the frequencies of wars and crimes on our alternate world's past appeared to be lower than this parallel realm; but the total casualties in some of their significant conflicts, particularly the United States' involvements in its civil war and the World Wars, came across as being smaller in comparison to the important wars fought on our Earth. And since you seem to be more sympathetic to the Americans, do you have any regret in the upcoming attacks on their shortcomings?

"I don't have an absolute answer for that. My thoughts about them may depend on these people grabbing the chance to consciously fix their prevailing problems and do the right thing for themselves; instead of missing such opportunities for too long. On the contrary, I'm not really happy about the population of drug addicts whose minds are so broken by narcotic overdoses that it became very easy for our forces here to transform them into expendable 'automatons' - under our control. Just ask the guys who are now injecting nano-machine solutions inside heavy drug users inhabiting the nearby towns. As for you being the curious one however, do you have enough energy to talk a different subject such as the many differences and similarities between the Soviet Russians from our past and the communist Russia, which was then succeeded by today's Russian Federation?"

"Uh... probably on another day for-"

"This is SAR-Platoon Lead 47-V to Fireteam 8. All the present platoon at the power station are in position and waiting to begin the world-scale raids in... two minutes," the leader radioed in a foreign language only developed back in their 'original' universe.

The operative with the stolen long rifle respond thru wireless transmission in the same language. "Excuse me sir, but what exactly took your time to setup? Over."

"My apology soldier, I was in communication with our dispersed combat groups who located vulnerable electrical substations across this planet. We agreed to launch simultaneous strikes against 'non-critical' grid facilities belonging to countries bordering the Pacific Ocean as warnings on their negligence. Exceptions for the time being are mainland Japan and areas with 'powder keg' situations like the Korean Peninsula. I will say again, be ready to commence attack on my mark in... 30 seconds."

"Understood, Out. Alright guys, you heard him: get to your formations!"

After thirty seconds, the stealth team fire the hand-held energy cannon at the distribution site. Nothing appeared to happen for ten seconds until the transformers and other critical parts start to glow brighter. They received so much energy surging in that the electrical components are actually melting or exploding. Consequently, the nightlights from the connected towns instantly turn off and the manufacturing processes in the factories shutdown.

"Rest in peace over there... overburdened artifact," said the synthetic person holding the culprit weapon.

A familiar voice was heard again. "Hey... does anyone think that the spying agencies would notice our digital trails as consequences of these coordinated actions?"

"They most likely will. But those surveillance agents first need to decipher our 'alien' conversations, which could take around four to twelve months. Anyhow, it's time to leave."

As the sun rises in the morning, many townsfolk and workers wake up later than usual. Unless their buildings are powered by solar, wind, or other renewables (in this case, several homes and businesses already had such power sources installed), they find plenty of inactive electronics and appliances having no electricity flowing to them. A lot of the residents continued to be dumbfounded by this blackout while others activate their backup generators and battery storage systems. An hour later, the people are quite surprised from the news of at least 50 electrical substations and an equal amount of power plants out of commission across the Pacific theater.

And that includes a total of ten facilities each for Russia, China, the United States, Canada, and even Australia.

* * *

 **2/14/2017: Minor edits.**

 **9/03/2017: Been wondering about the aftermath casualties from the Ginza Incident. Agreed?**

 **11/10/2017: Add a scene for a character from the Saints Row franchises.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Elements from the franchises of Saints Row, Borderlands, Jurassic Park, and Kill La Kill were added to this crossover. A number of fanfic story schemes used here actually came from the GATE JSDF/Battlefield crossover, published by the writer Gunkatas (Thank you though!).**

 **If you have suggestive story changes, plot fixes, or reviews that require more exclusiveness, private messaging is an option.**

* * *

3 months since the U.S-Japanese expedition (D-Day) to the 'Special Regions'….

A small group of ten Indonesian natives made their way, as silent as they could within the surrounding vegetation, toward a large palm oil plantation in the middle of the night. The oils of these plants are essential ingredients in the making of baked goods, candies, ice creams, hair shampoos, butter, cosmetics, cooking oil, and other numerous commodities. Yet the palm fruit bunches remain attached to the mono-cultured flora for a few months with only the few survivors knew why.

"Looks like nobody is there at this time," whispered the local leader at the front observing the terrain. "Remember, one or two bags of oil palm fruits per person. Anymore than that will bring more troubles and attentions to all of us or just one of you."

"Nadjii sir," said one man. "I don't think it's going to be enough to get us rich through the black market."

The leading figure sighed, "It's just enough for our families to cook with for a month at best; and don't forget about this one story where I witnessed a previous band of men being torn up to bloody shreds by those 'visitors' in this same plantation for being too greedy. Everyone, move quietly now."

As the party move softly to the nearest oil palm trees, they hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions far from where they're currently positioned. "Sir, do you have a guess on who's attacking who?" a follower asked.

"I have no time to wonder about that question or who's stupid enough to attack 'them.' Keep going," the leader spoke in a low voice.

Just when the small team reached the trees, a companion suddenly tumble toward the ground face-forward and hit something on his forehead. "Ow! What the heck did I hit my head to?"

"Are you alright my friend?"

"I'm not sure- ouch. Okay, let me turn on the flashlight and see what was… th- oh... shit," said the man standing up to then see something gruesome on the ground with the portable light device. A human head… severed and beaten… among hundreds of rotting, disassembled corpses that scattered across the field while moving the light beam.

Nadjii walk to the shocked person and place one hand on the shoulder. "We need to continue on for our beloved family members that are still alive. I'm just as frighten by this as you do but I cannot let bad recollections in my head to halt this necessity. So please, do the same and dim the light right now." The fellow listened, lower the brightness, and head for the first tree being harvested - albeit slowly since they didn't brought bladed tools with them. Or any tools rumored to trigger violent retaliations from these 'aliens' - as informed by other survivors. While the party pick the palm fruits by hand among the newly-grown greenery, echoes of screaming and begging are heard after a pause of firefights. The poor sounds have jogged memories of his encounters with the unknown foreigners on this same agricultural field.

They first appeared suddenly about four months ago when he was once a worker of many, picking those fruits for the local palm oil owner in Indonesia. Nadjii at the time was more concern of getting as much money as he could despite the controversial nature of the plantation to cut down irreplaceable forests for agricultural use and the businesses' abuse of its laborers for more profit. On that day though, he and others nearby were surprised at the appearance of a 'man' fully covered in a mixture of grey, black, and white armor. A guard noticed this shortly later and confronted the out-of-placed intruder within the estate. After several failed attempts in yelling and physically forcing the strange person to get out of the area, he called in more guards with guns to make the message clear. Instead, a bloodbath occurred when all the guards at the spot were ambushed by similar metallic beings who then beaten and ripped apart the men to death barehanded. Workers like himself ran far away to safety in response to witnessing such frightening event. For a week, the palm oil field and several more that Nadjii heard in the local news became hellish places as groups of laborers trying get the fruits were massacred without warning; leaving the rest hesitant to do their jobs. Angry at the stagnation and eager to resume the money flow, the affected corporate managers made plans to arm their work forces with guns and have them (along with hired mercenaries) remove these 'murderers' out of their lands. Days of preparations later, the corporations launched the removal operations… which became a brutal slaughter for the humans. Hidden high-explosive traps rocked their battle formations heading toward the occupied estates, leaving behind heavy casualties as a result. The poor worker himself was gusted by one of the predetermined explosions and hit a tree that left him unconscious for several minutes. When he slowly woke up, the Indonesian saw the aftermath of the battle with scattered bodies of his coworkers and mercenaries (dead and dying) covered in multiple ablazen holes; and plenty more cut in half which also shown burnt marks along the lacerations. After some time looking at the macabre scene in a disturbed state, he noticed a squad of those 'metal men' holding unknown firearms at the edge of the plantation before they just vanished in front of him. Minutes of observations dawn on him that not a single body of those aliens was found among the deceased on the battlefield and a small fraction of the local hundred-size attack force survived. Overall, the maneuvers ended in failure with an estimated death toll of six hundred on their side and zero for the mysterious opponents. Half an hour later, the affected company leaders were attacked and tortured to death by the same kinds of 'demons' in their buildings before they had a chance to communicate their government affiliates. From then on, the concealed adversaries continuously cause havoc and make 'judgements' on Indonesia's unlawful practices like tree logging vulnerable ecosystems, illegal trades on endangered wildlife, over-fishing, drug smuggling, fossil fuel overuses, and piracy; regardless of the side effects presented on the country's populations and 'civilized' development that includes international and corporate interests.

"Brother? Is that really you brother?" A surprised male voice from one of his group snapped the native leader back to reality and brought attention to the rest of the party. "By god, it is! You're really him! Where had you been? Our family had been worried about you!"

"What is going on over there, Bakaiguah?" asked Nadjii as he walk toward one of his coworkers. Once there, the leading human spotted a man with crisscrossed green lines all over the exposed head, arms, and legs revealed with a flashlight. "Uh… who is this, my friend?"

"Oh, pardon my joy, sir. This here is my brother, Rabolo. He has been missing from my family for months until now. Hey Bro! Say hello to this man here!" No response.

"So… what's with those green lines all over his face?"

"Eh, he must had been to a tattoo shop somewhere. Anyway, come and help me with the picking brother!" The arrived 'man' did not move or responded to Bakaiguah as he walked a little before noticing the stillness. "Hey Rabolo, aren't you following your sibling to the oil palms? [A few seconds of silence] No…? Well that's alright. You can help us carry some for our families back home. I'll get to work then!" The smiled laborer walk to the picking site.

"Okay… what just happened?" the leading native puzzled. When he carefully look at the person, the Indonesian notice several green lines indicated to intersect all over the body, the green color of the eyes, and surprisingly… a PKM machine gun with a modified 150-round ammunition box attached to the weapon that this individual was holding with both hands. "Uh… Rabolo, could you put away that gun before running into-?"

"Command denied," said the color-marked man in a distorted, electronic voice who pointed the firearm at the leader being a bit too close.

"W-W-What the…?" the human standing still realized something was wrong with this fellow; just by the machine-like sound and the illumination of the colored lines and the glowing eyes.

The returning earthling saw the moment but interpreted differently. "Hey, what's with that voice man? Have you been taking in so much narcotics or alcohol while you were gone? Ah… I swear, we're going to clean you up to shape and find out about your absent. But whatever, here are the two bags for you bro." He put the bags on top of the person's arms and gun, which lowered down by the extra weight and let the fabric containers slide to the ground. Both Nadjii and Bakaiguah are both confused by the situation.

"Sooo… what kind of person was your brother?" questioned the leader.

"He was a nice person to almost everyone in my family for years since childhood, sir. However, he did had difficulty dealing with stress and lack of self- esteem months before his disappearance. Thus whenever my brother can't get a job or other things not in his favor, he tended to take drugs or other substances that caused us concerns." The neutral expressed person then turn his eyes toward the PKM. "Oh wait, where did you get that machine gun? Can't grab the bags for us while having that weapon occupied your hands." The firearm remained in the hands of the warped individual. "Uh, can you let go of the weapon please?"

"Invalid order," replied the person in the same digital sound.

"Order… it's actually a request from your family member! So look, let me help you remove th-"

"WAIT Bakaiguah! I don't think your brother's soul is in that body anymore!" warned the head of the group.

"What did you just say?"

"Look at him! There something seriously wrong with a lost sibling carrying a heavy gun, glowing tattoos in his body, and a robotic voice. Perhaps it's possible that the aliens captured him and turned your drug addict into a sl-!"

"That's enough! I don't want to hear more truths about Rabolo and his drug abuse for several months! And I highly doubt the possibility of some sci-fi subjugation on him!" said the more aggressive worker getting closer to his 'brother.'

"Stop what you're doing and calm down! Any closer now will make him kill you!" Nadjii tried to tell his friend before receiving a hard fist to the face that landed him on the ground. "Ow…"

"Just shut up for once at this time!" The earthling then focused on removing the PKM from his sibling's hands. Unfortunately, the grip on the weapon is quite strong. "Damn, you sure do have a tight grasp on the gun. Eh, funny how unlikely for you to shoot someone at this- [10 rounds from the automatic firearm pierce through the abdomen] W-What… the… ugh… ha…?" The misguided, wounded man fell backward on the ground and the rest of the fruit gatherers view the incident in shock.

"Subject sustained critical damage. Probability of death is 95 percent," stated the programmed cyborg.

"Good lord, how on earth did-?" one wondered prior to an unexpected appearance of a 'metal alien.'

"Well… that went pitiful," said the metallic being in the local language. Seconds later a couple more came to the scene as well as some modified humans with mindless, empty expressions and armed guns.

"This doesn't look good sir... what are our options now?" A coworker asked his local leader, fully conscious and upright, for valid directions on the event unfolding. No one have yet to make a move for some time until the injured earthling made an effort to speak despite the tremendous blood loss.

"Hey… who the hell… are you… people? And… Rabolo… why did… you… opened… fire on… me? You… don't… norma-" Bakaiguah just stopped and become lifeless. One of the clearly bipedal 'robot' walk to the body and check for any sign of life:

It's negative.

"Jesus, this clueless guy died without know the fate of his brother," commented the synthetic intruder who turn his attention to the group. "I bet you peasants want to know what we did to these heavy drug users, yes?"

"I… guess so. Do you... know how?" Nadjii hesitantly responded.

"In all honesty, the sickened people did it themselves. Their high use of narcotics had permanently damaged their own thought processes or uh… 'souls' in their heads even before our arrival. We could just let them die like that, us do mercy killing on the addicted, or help them recover as much as we could."

"Wait… you could have help us?"

A short moment of silence before a reply. "What do you think peaceful interventions would lead to? World peace? New friendships? Better societies? Or would those options actually result in more debaucheries, naivety, hubris, lies, and other wicked deeds you humans ignored for centuries?!"

"Uh-wha-hold on! You seriously think that we would descend to absolute barbarities if given a peace offer?"

"That possible outcome was very likely ever since we set foot on your country and saw all sorts of significant problems such as man-made degradations on your environments, unchecked criminality, and massive corruptions within your government and industries that only benefits the few on top rather than the unfortunate rest of the people like you."

One upset laborer said, "Is that it… the reason that many of our friends and families were killed was because of all the desolation you foreigners saw that were out of our hands?!"

"Ugh… look, as terrible as our assaults were on your nation; they served well as warnings/reminders of your fragile consumer societies, failed responsibilities to make a better place for all forms of life on this planet, and the necessities to find effective solutions not blinded by egotism. Thus in accordance to add insults on your stagnant efforts to heal the addicts, we injected nano-machines inside those brain-dead junkies; which later transformed them into killer… 'robots' under our control with ease."

"Ah-wha-what?!" The local leader was confused by that science fiction word. "Why is that so?"

"Well sir… once inside the self-desecrated mortals, the nano-sized devices self-replicate exponentially and convert much of the organic materials inside their own bodies into different matters more suited for combat. And that includes remnants of the users' brains being replaced with computerized systems programmed to obey our orders and fight without emotions, thoughts, memories, pains, and other attributes you humans took for granted. Compare that to artificial intelligence like us whose computing powers are above those puppets and even your species' level as a collective group."

"Artificial… uh-wait a minute, does that means that all of you here are nothing more than machines?"

"You're… kidding, right? 'Cause if we're just simply machines, then it would not be so easy for us to annihilate hostile mobs of fanatics many days earlier… or completely defeat a whole company of your country's police officers and military soldiers; which actually happened at the other side of this plantation several minutes ago."

A moment of silence until the same native spoke up. "Did we really heard from you that you guys had drawn blood from our army today?"

"Hate say this but yes; we did decimated the Indonesian military's retaliatory strikes on our platoon for this night."

"Retaliatory… eh, hold on? Why are both of us talking to each other like this? You umm… 'aliens' haven't made any conversation toward us since your arrival; only destruction on your part."

"Huh, you actually notice this circumstance. Hmm… do you think anyone will believe in our dialogues if words get out?"

The human group, still standing on the same spots and being aimed by the mind-wiped earthlings, were confused and lost for words by the inquiry. Nadjii soon asked, "How about... your own guess for that question?"

"Well in that case, we suspect arrogant people living on this country to be skeptical about these strange discussions without a doubt."

"Are you so certain on the answer?"

"We definitely think so, but that's up to you and your group to decide on the options to reveal what has happened or not." More confusions and silence among the natives followed until the synthetic speaker recognize something. "Oh right, you locals were wondering why the military forces of Indonesia attempted to fight back at us recently? Quite frankly, our black-ops battalion had given sufficient difficulties at a constant rate for them to adapt in terms of economics and logistics for the past months; considering their primary power sources in the form of nonrenewable fossil fuels and their budgets connected to controversial businesses that left behind desolation on even your homeland. Having said that, they didn't took the widespread situations seriously until a separate squad from our forces butchered a very corrupt official who had multiple relationships with the Indonesian armed forces over a week ago."

A different worker from the local party remembered, "Hey wait… are you talking about the gruesome death of Sumarko Bwaya that was heard nine days ago in the news?"

"Yeah… that's the correct name for the assassinated target. Still, we sort of wished that the armed forces should continue focus on self-sustainable development and cleaning up corruptions; instead of counterattacks in response to the gory execution."

The leading native replied, "With all due respect, I don't think many in the military or the public would remain silent on such barbaric killing no matter how amoral that victim might be and after experiencing massacres for a long time. Apart from a possible downfall of our military, you uh… 'people' may have overlooked our allies outside of Indonesia that are capable of both helping us and fighting your forces here."

"Eh… good luck on them to try that approach if they're not kept busy by other groups of our corps all across the Pacific Rim."

"Uh… a corps?"

"Forty thousand heavily armed operators creating disruptions in the United States of America, People's Republic of China, Russian Federation, Australia, Cambodia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, Canada, and other countries on lands connecting to the vast Pacific Ocean."

"Forty… thousand… against that large number of states and three world powers?!"

"That's affirmative. If we exclude the numerous combat pets, airborne drones, and the converted robots that accompanied us."

"Combat… pets… like what?" Nadjii asked before hearing the screeches and squawks of unknown animals, follow by the sounds of bullet fire, and the screams and cries of panic humans in the direction of where the now-alerted native group came through.

"Unfortunately, that's confidential; as well as where we came from. Anyhow, it is almost time for you guys to grab your supplies and get out of this area for two months," said the artificial person now supported with more metallic 'humanoids' and nano-modified people arriving at the site (including one that used to be a woman).

The nine remaining humans reluctantly agreed as they grab their bags of palm fruits and then move out toward the same vegetated route they came. After some time walking along the path, the natives spotted a ghastly scene of eighteen dead men being eaten by packs of… dinosaurs? In actuality, the creatures are more like 4-foot tall birds with feathered tails, two feather-covered arms with four clawed fingers in each hand, and jaws lined with serrated teeth instead of beaks. Dispersed items on the same site includes pistols, sub-machine guns, shotguns, rifles, and other types of firearms once belonging to the former owners. One person from the group quietly asked, "How did these poor souls got their hands on that many guns?"

The local leader answered, "I really don't know. I'm more concerned with getting back home intact than their identities. Let's get out of here." The party travel carefully around the area. One of the feathered dinosaurs did see the earthlings on the move but surprising, it just shrugged the sight and continue eating one of the corpses. Same goes for the other feathered creatures even after the humans passed the gory site.

"Huh… guess we can draw in the comfort that the big guys from China, Russia, and America are suffering too. Isn't that right sir?"

"Please, let's just go back to our people." Without incident, the natives managed to head towards their homes…

Minus the knowledge of a concealed synthetic operative in command of the 'raptor' packs and the bodies' recognition as criminals in service to the Triads (who were prepared to intercept any gathering group for the lucrative product by force if necessary).

And let's not forget about one hidden, special-ops soldier that listened to the whole conversation… and then learn the fact that the robotic intruders are fully aware of his presence all this time and they wonder if his military are going to fight again or not.

A couple of days later in an intruding cattle ranch bordering the Amazon rainforest.…

A man wakes up from his bed as the sun rises in the morning and shine on the family house of the ranch complex. Sounds so picturesque if ignoring the reality that the pastures were once rainforests of the Amazon basin many months ago before being cut down and burned for grasses that livestocks like cattle can eat - which in turn being raised and processed for the growing and voracious appetite for energy-intensive meat worldwide (With beef as a symbolic example). Consequently, the under-pressured ecosystem surrounded by encroaching logging, mining, and agriculture industries slowly loses its abilities to absorb more carbon dioxide gases and regulate the delicate rain cycles as old-growth trees continue to dwindle by human hands. To make things much harder to recover, the cows in the hundreds of thousands emitted the more potent methane gases almost nonstop into the atmosphere.

Right now though, the rancher is more focus on keeping the domesticated ruminants well-fed until the time to transport them to the slaughterhouse comes. He did heard about new methods and technologies available and in development to reduce the environmental footprints of every cattle ranch on Earth, but the cattleman feels skeptical about the importance of minimizing climate change damage than lifting his wife, children, and himself to a higher standard of living. As the man get ready to go outside, he heard several poof sounds and turn his head toward where his herds of cows are currently in placed. Still being calm, the rancher walk to the outdoors and have two of his employees travel with him to check the animals.

It didn't look pretty when they arrived at the location… to see over 300 cattle dead on the ground with big, burned slices along the horizontal halves of the adults while the calves had either burned holes in their skulls or cauterized decapitations of the young animals' heads. "Oh good lord, who could have done this terrible act onto the poor things?" questioned the ranch manager in horror as the men look closer at the carnage.

To add more to the fright, they subsequently find a body nearby that was actually one of their workers… now riddled with bullet holes. Unluckily however, the ranchers are killed off swiftly in the back by multiple plasma projectiles fired from three camouflaged attackers. Among the cloaked assailants is the active leader of a mechanical platoon surrounding the farm compound.

"All platoon units, initiate termination on all selected targets at once!"

With that command, the robotic troops come out of hiding and begin firing energy projectiles and particle beams at all personnel at the estate: men, women, and even children. Many are mown down in the relentless volley while more of the panicked staff go inside the buildings to find cover. But alas, the gunfires very often pierce through the protections both thin and thick; and the combatants always locate and destroy the rest of the residents in cold blood — even on those begging and crying for mercy. At the same time, the black-ops operatives eliminate the remaining cattle regardless of age.

"Objective completed, sir. No survivors, but should we proceed to salvage viable reproductive cells?"

"Negative, let the dead bodies rot to nothingness. Platoon, move on to the next area to evaluate."

Hours goes by since the covert group left the seemingly, lifeless ranch and now into the late afternoon; the fading sunlight shining on the ground now filled with decaying bodies of animals and people, which attracted scavengers like the native vultures and flies. Also arriving at the site by foot is a woman wearing a hooded poncho, backpack, and a bolt-action rifle with a leather strap on the individual's right shoulder. As she enters the area step by step, the individual steadily turn her head left and right to gaze at the unkind aftermath with a sense of unhappiness — along with crossing in prayer.

"Rest in peace, everyone."

* * *

{electronic buzz}

"...criminal investigators continued their search for answers and details on the gruesome ends of all the twenty cattle ranches' families and staff. The losses of over 8,000 livestocks across the Western Hemisphere has begun to affect the price of beef in many food markets of the Americas, including the United States..."

{buzz}

"...funds had been allocated for the commercialization of artificial meat within several biotech facilities in response to continual decline of..."

{buzz}

"...eyewitness reports of unknown intruders in cloaks kept on circulating into the growing records of law enforcement agencies across the Pacific Rim. At the same time period, groups of unknown creatures that resembled feathered dinosaurs are spotted near the..."

{buzz}

"...an infamous drug lord was found dead and in pieces that were lying on the floor of a family mansion within an urban area. Sadly, all of his bodyguards and even the entire family are found murdered in the same manner as..."

{buzz}

"...ten large explosions were heard across the vast border zone of Mexico and America that demolished the finished concrete sections of the controversial border wall under construction. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has made efforts to..."

{buzz}

"...wood product values continued to climb as dozens of timber companies struggled to illegally retrieve more sawed tree logs from vulnerable, nearby forest systems; as well as casualties of loggers said to be caused by attacks..."

{buzz}

"...footage from a camcorder trap of a wildlife expedition in Cambodia revealed more of how the discovered poacher's body was torn apart. The perpetrator of this horrible act looked like a person in camouflaged armor and had the strength to rip out a hand with ease. In addition, the poacher's plea for mercy was ignored..."

{buzz}

"...chemical manufacturing plants in both U.S. and China had just claim to experienced multiple sabotages by heavily armed trespassers who somehow bypassed the facilities' security zones. Despite of them being recorded to dump massive amount of toxic wastes in rivers used by the public for drinking water and recreations in a 30-year-period, the factories remain..."

{buzz}

"...software engineers identified today not just one but forty different computer viruses inside the financial networks of Wall Street and other stock markets worldwide. Experts advised that these invasive programs are unbelievably adaptable against the latest anti-virus software and capable of actually reallocate stock values and digital funding to..."

{buzz}

"...oil prices are now $8.00 per gallon in much of the gas stations from the Americas to the Asian nations near the Pacific and even in Australia. The major oil corporations stated that the difficulties to provide such material were..."

{buzz}

"...investments from oil companies were committed to advance the synthetic production of petroleum, whether it would be artificial photosynthesis or genetically modified algae on a massive scale. The corporate entities will also hire more scientists to help..."

{buzz}

"...specialized police units stormed the locations of a discovered terrorist cell, only to find ripped-out body parts all over the targeted sites. These manners of torturous death eerily matches the fate of previous victims associated..."

{buzz}

"...repeated assaults on the solid barriers of the U.S.-Mexico borders had raised uproars and doubts on the validity of these immigration walls. Billions of taxpayers' dollars were poured in the constructions and repairs of such ambitious project on border security, and yet these huge fabrications were destroyed in a matter of minutes. Residues of the destruction indicated a diverse array of weapons ranging from high-yielded explosives to even an unknown form of acoustic..."

{buzz}

"...more of the power substations connected to electric grids across the Pacific countries are out-of-commissioned. The technicians working in one facility tell us that the transformers and other essential components were completely burnt out. The intelligence agents who came there noticed similarities with previous electrical substations that had been shut down almost seven months..."

{buzz}

"...emergency protocols had been established in much of the sovereign nations of the Pacific Rim to effectively rebuild their infrastructures and economies. The technologies being used to help bring back power to the public includes better solar panels, wind turbines, nuclear reactors, desalination plants, and..."

{buzz}

"...recovered bodies of teenage boys presented physical evidences of them being eaten alive by unidentified animals. Half of the townspeople and their kids had mixed feelings about their final fates since these teenagers did show constant bullying behaviors in..."

{buzz}

"...park rangers of the Democratic Republic of Congo began to recover bodies from a discovered campsite associated with illegal activities inside the Congo Basin. What's more, the tools related to criminal actions like animal traps and chainsaws are all damaged beyond repair..."

{buzz}

* * *

Over six months afterwards at Alnus Base

(Sometimes designated as Fort Gondor, Camp Arnus, Fort Gate, Camp Omega, Temple Base, Asshole Fortress or Rear End of the Fantasy World — as a stupid joke by someone due to the native name rhyming with an anatomical part, etc.)...

 _'Hmm… blue skies, grassy plains and hills, and some forests. Oh wait, almost forgot about the trench lines, minefields, barbed wires, and bunkers. What a nice view to see from our little, separate fort… for over nine months. Well, 9 months and 16 days to be exact.'_ Private Preston Marlowe looked at the peaceful scenery while carrying his assault rifle and standing on one fortified wall of the medium-sized hexagonal camp… with an uninterested face. Though he can barely see one of the eight forward outposts that circled around the six-pointed star-shaped main fortress almost two miles away (as well as the other five encampments being a hundred yards away from the primary base in a circular pattern aligning with the spaces between the star points).

 _'So let's recap on what has happened during that period. After our forces obliterated the massive counterattack from the enemy on the first day, we proceeded to establish a defensive perimeter around the magic gate one and a third mile in diameter. Eleven days and a couple more divisions later, the military fortifications were completed and the coalition waited for any major offensive by the primitive opponents._

 _The next day… nothing._

 _Several days later: still waiting._

 _And so we waited some more._

 _And waited._

 _Over one month into the expedition came the engineers who constructed a more permanent bedrock for a bigger stronghold that would accommodate the JSDF, US military, and their allies from other nations of Earth; which includes Russia — whenever their expeditionary units were ready to go. Even when the fabrication started, the adversary haven't yet appeared in our observations._

 _Thus, we continued to wait._

 _And waited._

 _An-... oh yeah, B-Company did met our Japanese counterparts and other allied soldiers after the trench-works; as well as doing our best to train each other for better behaviors during the waiting game. Without the hazmat uniforms for 'Bad' Company, of course. They're fine people alright, although some got very cautious about a number of our umm… livelier personnel due to having unusual uh… 'experiences' from a couple of incidents associated with us. On the other hand, most of coalition forces stayed within the large occupied zone surrounding this magical portal. The exceptions were the special elite troops who initiated their covert operations to gather information on the new world, sabotage enemy infrastructures behind the front-lines, test the latest techs for similar undercover activities, and rescue civilians rumored to had been kidnapped by the barbaric opposition during the Ginza Incident. Despite not knowing their names, we wished them luck on the latter._

 _Anyway though, construction of the airfields began on the third month — along with helicopters and airplanes arriving thru the gate. Meanwhile, our combat group continued to be monitored for any symptoms associated with unknown diseases. Unsurprisingly, the enemy didn't showed up._

 _Another month came by and the result was still the same: no hostile legions being spotted. However, the high command decided to build six more camps around the main base for additional deterrents. One garrison in particular was selected for B-Company only._

 _Which brings us to the present day: new outposts, several captured uh... magicians, fourteen rescued captives,... no enemy army showed up,... and we're all still waiting for an attempt. Including the Russians that arrived just days ago. Oh wait... there also the issues of pests like rats, mice, ants, spiders, and even raccoons that somehow sneaked thru the 'Gate' despite the securities back in Tokyo. Now then, it would have been better for Bad Company to receive at least a rotation order like everyone else had done and probably be redeployed somewhere else back on Earth; with considerations that all personnel are clear to move freely without hazmat suits two weeks ago and all the bad shits that we were given from the news channels. Nevertheless, the top brass insisted on us to finish our current deployment that was added by one month after recent scrutinies on the related circumstances._

 _Making the duration a total of 13 months._

 _And that… made us bored.'_

Few minutes later, the private descend to the base floor by stairs and then take a walk throughout the walled encampment that has its own barracks, motor pools, helipads, armories, and so on. Just as he reached one of the motor pool buildings, Marlowe then heard sounds of incoming vehicles and turn his head toward the main entrance gate now opening. Out comes an unarmed U.S. Humvee and a JSDF Mitsubishi Type 73 light truck en route to that location. Once the vehicles parked at their destination, the drivers and passengers exit out revealing some familiar faces.

"Kon'nichiwa, Private Marlowe! How are you feeling today?" said Lieutenant Youji Itami.

"Well lieutenant, it's just the same as yesterday and the previous days for the last nine months. So what brings you here sir?" Preston responded in a somewhat neutral tone.

"Just decided to check up on you Americans here. And relax, you had plenty of time to do things other than just waiting for combat."

 _'That LT is Youji Itami: Japanese 'Hero of Ginza.' He's an okay soldier.'_

Shino intervened, "Sore wa, shumi no tame ni mainichi iyana zairyō o yon dari mi tari shite imasu ka?!"

Itami sighed, "Shinono shikan, sono kudan ni tsuite anata ga yurumeru jikan ga arimasu ka?"

"Taida ni chokumen shita toki ni, gunji rūchin o ushinau koto wa hotondo arimasen!"

 _'Unless you're one of many people not very tolerance of him being a heavy consumer of manga and anime products or in Japanese: otaku. Like Miss Shino Kuribayashi over there and even some of the top military officials from his country's self-defense forces.'_

As an argument devolve from there, a female Chicana personnel from the Humvee walk to the scene facing the U.S. Army private. "Need something, ma'am?"

"Si, can you tell me where Sergeant Samuel Redford is positioned right now?" She asked.

"Looking for me, miss?" replied the Sarge just arriving at the site.

The lady saluted to him. "Specialist Mirenda Rios here to notify you of a briefing from General Braidwood, señor."

"Thanks for informing me, Rios." Samuel thought a question to ask. "How soon do I need to get there?"

"I would say 20 minutes from now, but Braidwood preferred you to be in his office sooner than that."

"Acknowledged, I'll be on the way."

"Sarge, do you want the squad to accompany you?" Preston wanted to know.

"Eh, that might not be necessary at this point," said Redford.

Kuribayashi interrupted and saluted, "Greetings to see you, Sergeant Redford, sir!"

"Uh… do you really have to say that Miss Kuribayashi? I'm not as important as a goddamn emperor."

"Sorry Sarge, but I think you should receive more respect than otaku losers!"

"Oh wow! That's quite honorable for Miss Cow-Teets-for-Brain to say!" exclaimed a Corporal Johnny Gat wearing his rectangular sunglasses and standing next to the vehicle building (and a shack hidden out of sight).

"What did you just say to me?" Shino growled at the former gangster-turn-soldier.

"Corporal Gat, I truly suggest you to apologize her for that inappropriate behavior before I make an abuse report toward high command!" ordered Redford who was displeased by such conducts.

"Alright, alright then. My sincere regrets for saying such remarks to you Sergeant... Balloon-Chest Dolly."

 _'Boy, that is quite abrasive for Johnny to say toward Kuribayashi.'_

"RAAAAGH! That is it, you gaijin street rat!" The female soldier aggressively walk in the direction of the Asian-American who stroll away with a smirk in return. The Sarge and the others grumble and sigh at the scene. As both participants run, an explosion occur at the concealed shack next to the motor pool structure. The blast knock Shino toward the pavement with her back as she was closer to the source than Johnny. The JSDF woman survive but left unconscious.

The US soldiers of the encampment heard the erupted sound and move toward the fuming site with their weapons ready, while the JSDF visitors get the downed sergeant toward a safe area. Outside, the entire military perimeter is put on high alert. As Preston, Sarge, and several personnel have gotten into position, the shack door opened and out came four soldiers that trip over each other to getaway from the smog. The last two stumbling out are Haggard and Sanford passing through the other culprits before folding down and coughing. Some of the converging soldiers relaxed a little, including Private Marlowe.

"Tarnation [cough two times] _,_ that didn't work," said the redneck.

"Haggard! Sanford! What the hell just happened over here?" the African-American demanded.

"Well Sarge [cough two more], I was just show- [ _ahua]_ , showing these boys and Sanford here [a burp], ugh, a special technique for combat. [More coughing] Didn't go as planned though. Bleah."

"Yeah, just like that." said Bobby as both he and George start coughing again. Samuel ignore them and stride into the makeshift building for a closer look. The Texan nonchalantly move away in secret until confronting a suspicious and irritated Japanese lady who just woken up rather quickly.

"What on earth are you walking away from, Haggard?" Kuribayashi asked with her eyes squinting at him.

"Well ma'am, uh... it isn't like I have something to hide fr-"

"HAAAGGAAARD!" shouted Redford as he move out of the shack toward the redneck in an angry state. "Am I seeing what I think you two are doing?!"

Facing his sergeant and able to ordinarily respire again, Haggard paused before saying a response. "Okay, you're not seeing what you think we're doing."

Shino back away a bit and snicker at the situation as the sarge got madder at that answer and then right at George's face.

"What gave you the bright idea of brewing moonshine on a military base?!" Redford's statement made every soldier loosen up in the locality (as well as causing a few to inquisitively look at the damaged structure). Youji tell his translation of the bewildering incident to the other two JSDF passengers (who are Takeo Kurata and Soichiro Kuwahara), which they let out a weary expression.

"Katsute anata no yōna shikan kōho-sei o kunren suru shigoto wa jikan ga kakaru to omotte imashita." stated the older man known as 'Demon Sergeant' who take a view at the American officer yelling on the four men involved in illegal alcohol making.

'I don't think any drill instructor can fix their bad habits at this point,' conjectured by Takeo in his mind.

In the meantime, the JSDF lieutenant return to the front passenger seat of the light truck in a gloomy position where he contemplating on the off-duty actions of the 222nd Armored Battalion B-Company: including a strong memory in which Haggard detonated a collection of otaku materials like manga and anime DVDs with C-4 explosives... very close to his hiding spot during a tracking training exercise when Itami was the target. He was almost nowhere to be found but unfortunately, the Bravo One Charlie squad was picked as the trackers for the practice. When they couldn't find him, Private George Gordon Haggard decided to separate from the team and grab as much otaku materials from every Japanese personnel as possible (Youji's manga and anime stuff included regardless of them being indoor or in the open) for their explosive demise. Many people on the military zone chagrined at the unprofessional antics of this pyromaniac; even in the U.S. military leadership.

Preston looked at the sobered person and proceed ask a simple question, "You feeling alright, sir?"

"Well, I may need to rest for some time whenever unexpected things like this happened. Oi, I sure hope you find something to do other than blowing things up."

"Noted."

 _'Hmm, not sure if Haggard was truly at fault with this. 'Cause when Bad Company get bored, things eh... tend to happen.'_

Afterwards, Samuel Redford communicate the radio command control to clarify the blast as a false alarm and cancel the alert; along with the mess that the guilty party had to clean up. "Now the need to find and talk with that Corporal Gat on etiquette."

Somewhere on the Pacific Ocean of Earth

A commercial fishing trawler propel itself through the oceanic water toward a predicted location where there should be large congregations of their highly prized fish species; despite their endangered status and the area being very close to an off-limit fishing zone. Weeks ago, these swimming vertebrates managed to multiple in numbers albeit slowly thanks to fewer amount of ships capable of catching them in bulks. Why's that less?

Over a year ago in human rumors, fishing vessels started to be captured and cut off from communication networks by the intentions of unknown assailants that boarded them superficially out of nowhere. The disappeared ships often reappeared stranded on islands, beaches, and other different landing sites belonging to many countries bordering the Pacific Rim - usually without any of the original crew being alive and definitely no trace of the attackers. Several months later, more commercial vessels for the fishing industries were attacked while being docked in port; even as far as those located along the Atlantic coastlines of the Americas. The numerous assaults ranged from detonated bombs to electromagnetic overloads that burned out the essential electronics. Fishermen and criminals worldwide who were so angry at the violations gather as many fighters and armaments as they could and then launch retaliations on these hidden perpetrators. Only to came back in shambles and with heavy loss from gunfire, bomb traps, rockets, and even laser-like weaponry. The sporadic raids continued on regardless of naval interference until a couple of months ago, when they mysteriously stopped. Cautiously, the people of the fishing business rebuild the vessels. A growing number of fishermen had installed new techniques and tools that would make catching fish more sustainable than before. Quite frankly, the commercial ships that were untouched had practiced such ocean-friendly methods for many months or years. Even so, there still plenty of boats that hasn't changed their technologies for the better (meaning that the usual commercial tools can grab a high payload of fishes but harmfully damage the number of catches for future generations, populations of non-targeted species due to by-catches, and the underwater ecosystems that reinforce such ample supply of life in return).

At the moment, the fishing trawler is traveling closer to the presume site; though the crew did spotted dozens of ships that seemed to move toward the anticipated location despite the heavy clouds in the sky. Upon inspection in a shorter distance, the commercial vessels all come in various shapes and sizes and being crewed by different nationalities; whether each boat would be Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Japanese, Russian, Australian, American, or other country of origins. And load and behold, thousands of those slow-maturing animals are sighted below the water surface. Everyone on all the fishing ships quickly prepare their catching methods when the engines, navigational systems, light bulbs, and other devices die out suddenly. Every boat crew is mystified by the circumstance and then see the schools of fishes disperse from the area. As they figure out the unknown cause of this mass disruption, the fishermen then heard big rumbling sounds coming from the sea - including bellows and songs similar to the audio of whales. Next to appear are many luminescent spots arranged in rows or columns that changes from yellow to orange to blue to violet to green to red and so on. More notable are two sets of 'eyes' centered within the front section of these elongated patterns of lights on the move. Judging by the size and distance, the phenomenon is estimated to be a thousand feet long — way longer than the blue whale. After some time, the bright arrangements begin to go deeper and deeper into the oceanic abyss. Presuming to be gone for good, the fishing teams went back trying to fix the problems. A minute into the aquatic scenery however, the same bellowing and singing are heard again but progressively gets louder and closer to the immobile fleet with every seconds.

At that moment, a huge armored entity rise out of the water with great speed near the middle of the boats; taking several of them high above the ocean. While much of its body is in the air, two giant clawed arms spread out that made this 'creature' reminiscent of a titanic lobster or scorpion without the legs and antennas. Panic on the ships takes over as gravity brings the massive 'monster' down onto the large collection of commercial vessels. The resulting splash devastates a significant number of them and the rest frantically trying to start the engines. Yet the efforts are futile as the gigantic object sank the remaining vehicles thru its enormous claws or sheer mass, leaving behind floating pieces of shipwrecks. With every boat all destroyed, the blue-green colored entity submerge and slowly disappear into the deep blue sea. The survivors swim to the nearest floating piles of debris to stay out of the water and later think about what just happened and how to get back on land.

Very soon however, they witness multiple objects slowly rising from the depths below. A dozen are more than two thousand feet long and shaped like enormous battleship-aircraft carrier hybrids with stealth characteristics (two or three bridges within the command/island deck located in the mid-section of the wide-expansive flight deck, along with hidden armaments of heavy-caliber cannon turrets, smaller AA guns, and missile launchers both above and below; 4 thick-armored hangers below the top runways and each two next to the central command structure; many autocannons attached to the broadsides protecting the four elongated hangers; four powerful thrust engines in the rear and four anti-gravity propulsion close to the underneath hull for each 'carrier' now floating in the skies). Escorting those 'flagships' are 72 slightly smaller 'destroyers' arranged in a formation not unlike a carrier battle group (Six per 'carrier' ship). The other 120 floating objects at present are a mixture of large, gun-less 'transports' and 'frigates' covered in cannon and missile turrets. The remaining crews are shocked at such a tremendous sight. After a minute, the unidentified flying objects start moving in the direction of both North and South Americas.

One quarter of this 'alien' fleet heads for the debatable U.S.-Mexico borders while under optical camouflage.

Around the same time inside a JSDF building...

"A survey mission you say, Major Higaki? Well that sounds a very nice ride to-"

"Don't give me that slacker bullshit! You're selected for this task too for your information!" clarified the Japanese major.

"So uh... do I have to complete it on my own?" asked the otaku lieutenant.

"Eh... seriously? What made you think that we wanted to do it unprepared, dummy? The plan is to send six teams for deep reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, each composed of Self-Defense Force personnel and our international allies. In other words, your squad will be attached to units of the coalition to complete one of these operations... without screwing it up! And so, you better make sure to cooperate and form friendly relationships with local residents whenever possible."

"Well uh, I guess you're right about that."

"Very well then! First Lieutenant Itami Youji, I hereby grant you command of the third recon team!"

Youji sighed at the order and later walk out of the building. He did had a thought of something but he shrugged it. "Eh, let's not worry about who my squad would team up with for some time now! I'll bet they'll be nice fellows to talk about."

Within General Braidwood's office meanwhile...

"Let me get this straight with all due respect, General. You order my team of the most rambunctious soldiers of the entire United States military to scout around and win the 'hearts and minds' of the local inhabitants while being attached to coalition allies; without somehow triggering another war by mistake. Is that correct, sir?" Redford is dumbstruck at the somewhat ridiculous command while also having Haggard, Gat, and Sanford stand together in the same room. Near the door however, is Mirenda standing straight.

Braidwood sighed, "It is what it is, sergeant. As of now, your unit will received armored hazmat uniforms for this outdoor mission. Additionally, Bravo One Charlie will meet up with the third recon group on a predetermined area by tomorrow's morning."

"Out of curiosity sir, but who's leading this recon team?"

"Quite frankly soldier, I wasn't given the name of the leader as of today. Still, you boys shall arrival at the location whatsoever. As for better communication with the native populous, Specialist Mirenda Rios will be temporary assigned to B-Company for four months under your charge, Sergeant Redford."

The female personnel replied in confusion, "Uh... general, are you certain of me to join 'Bad Company' sir?"

"Well ma'am, you did manage to hide your ability in 'collecting' items up to this point. Now then lady and gentlemen, dismissed!"

* * *

Flashback — somewhere in a town of the Pandoran Continent

A person covered in a ragged cloak and wearing a black bandana mask arrived at a makeshift town in a layout close to that found in 'Wild West or Frontier' habitations; if excluding the presence of the humans and humanoids living there for over a millennium since the Orkish invasions. This individual continued walking toward the saloon where travelers come by and talk about many topics related to this land, the rest of the planet, and/or even the entire galaxy mostly dominated by the Eldar civilizations; while also picking up thoughts coming from the inhabitants' minds and carrying a small bag of money coins underneath the outdoor covering. As the figure got closer, the entity telepathically caught words of interest about a magical portal in Falmarius (sometimes called Falmart or Sandera after the most 'dominant' empire of the magical landscape... or was it Sadera? Whatever then).

"So where does this mysterious portal on this Alnus Hill leads to?" questioned the 'native' human sitting at a round table.

"Well... from what heard from my synthetic friend here, the inter-dimensional doorway had open up on a place called Tokyo," the Eldar adventurer on a chair answered.

"Toh-kee-yoh? So then, how can I picture that word?"

"Hmm... you could start with a building made out of concrete or other ceramic materials. Accompanied by many taller ones that are about dozens of floors high. Other structures are as tall as a mountain or as big and wide as a sport coliseum. Their purposes can range from being places to live in to expansive markets for selling and buying; along with different buildings designed for the city leaders to govern."

"A city you say? So what else did your pal told you about this Toh-kee-yoh?"

The cybernetic visitor intervened, "That the entire city was built and maintained by humans without supernatural magic. And let's be clear about something: you'll find no chances of meeting elves, eldar, dwarves, orks, draconians, verans, felinoids, wolvenoids, or any kinds of humanoids other than imaginary stories read by human children. Same goes for magical creatures like dragons or griffons despite the vast amount of species living on that planet."

"Only humans over there? Well uh um... "

"Organically speaking, they're very compatible — or more accurate to say identical — to the humans living on this world such as yourself, my man. Aside from the Nipponese overall population having black hair and slanted eyelids."

"Oookay... that part sounded like a big difference to me."

"Actually though, that is just one of many differences founded in hundreds of diverse human cultures and nations on that Earth such as skin colors, hair styles, metabolism, and so on. That being said however, those physical traits still constitute a very small fraction of who they are in a biological sense."

"Huh... do every man and woman understand all of this uh... revelation?"

"Not everyone, unfortunately." The cyborg stop for a while and have his back resting on the chair.

The eldar continue speaking, "From the information that my people were given recently, there said to be thousands upon thousands of humanity still committing brutal acts of violence against their own fellow species; whether it be out of desperation, psychological torment, absolute power, or higher fanaticism in the name of religions. But that is just one of many problems plaguing the entire human race and the diverse environments that kept them alive."

"Like... what kinds of problems?" the Pandoran human asked.

"I'm talking toxic waste pollution, financial corruptions, self-denial of actual facts, and other critical issues that these... people... uh..." Before finishing the sentence, the advanced elf sense a powerful but familiar character just outside the saloon who then opens the front door and into the big room of tables and a bar counter.

Several eyes lock onto this hooded individual with either curiosity or caution.

"So, what can I get for you?" quizzed the bartender.

"A cup of pear cider sounds good; or alcoholic apple if you don't mind," the person spoke in a feminine and non-distorted voice. Almost everyone in the indoor space were a bit surprised by either the female sound or the identity that was revealed when hearing the audio signature. Especially for the number of Terran and Eldar guests inside.

"Fine with me, miss." the employee replied.

Soon, she grab a chair near the table of the current conversation and sit between the cybernetic being and the Eldar wanderer (exposing her right arm wrapped in ragged cloth... and some 'skins'). "Go on now, what was it about this humanity's mess on the other side of this space-time opening?"

The techno-organic decided to talk. "As he was saying, these parallel humans had created themselves a serious global situation brought on by greed, lies, hate, negligence, dangerous ambitions, and other insane acts being out-of-control. Any more missteps at the wrong time will certainly bring in more devastating disasters exacerbated by their own undoings, if not an outright mass-extinction event of all life on that lonely blue dot in a cosmic ocean."

"In other words, they're getting closer to destroy themselves unless the people as a whole can change their lifestyles for the better."

"Preferably without delays. But from what I heard from our military organization, they are sending in a full corps of asymmetric operatives to the island country of Nippon."

"Wait just a minute," she caught on the military action with some concerns. "Why not send diplomatic envoys instead of a high-tech guerilla army?"

"Can you really expect every human being on that alternate Earth to repair their only home or be genuinely kind to all men, women, and children after we peacefully pointed out the incoming dangers that they artificially made? Considering the unpunished fallacies and bigotries that had been going on there for over a century, we concluded that millions of the people will still conduct volatile violations for their own short-benefits; regardless of the dreadful consequences on their neighbors and ecosystems that allows complex organisms to exist and thrive. Thus, one of several jobs for this corps is to assess the damage of the situation and give the appropriate activities and warnings on the offenders."

The lady gives a suspicious look as she think about the statement. "Fine, fine. Do whatever you want with such discoveries. It's not like the first time you guys meddled with great 'success' such as this living, breathing example over here." The female individual pointed her right thumb toward herself while closing her eyes (indicating who the woman was to both visitors).

"Here is your pear-apple cider mixture, madam." A barmaid handed the mug of mixed drink on the table.

The recipient just stare at the cup and turn her head towards the bartender... and back to the more expensive beverage. "Oookay... eh, whatever. This will do." She put down her mask to take a small gulp of the drink, which reveals her 'human' face aside from her hair.

"That would be 24 credits or 12 silver coins, please."

The customer take out the coin bag onto the table and retrieve 12 silver coins from it, though they do bear Imperial markings. "Here you go miss." The cloaked lady put the coins on the palm of the worker's hand.

"So... anything else about this uh, Nippon?" quizzed the human who was a bit left out.

The synthetic terran answered, "Yes, the country is also called Japan in a certain language. What's more, the calendars being used over there are practically identical to those in our original universe."

"Then what is the time period when that portal opened to this foreign land?" the female character questioned.

"To be frank, this parallel world is around a couple of decades into the 21st Century of the Anno Domini calendar or Common Era for a more neutral notation. Which is thousands of years backward from where our actual home universe is currently at."

"Hold on, does that makes us time travelers to the past?"

"It would had been so, if not for their history being different from ours."

"How different are the-?"

The eldar adventurer intervened, "Ryona, you will have plenty of time finding additional information from the recent Terran databases about these historical deviations; if you decided to join this latest surveillance operation near the dimensional tear."

The broad gave some thoughts about that. "Hmm... on the contrary, I would rather go there all by myself than joining in the spying club. Unless you allow me to wear the latest nano-enhanced combat suits available on my choosing."

That statement got the three listeners confused. The cyborg decided to ask her carefully, "Are you willing to tell us what has happened to your last exoskeleton, Miss Matoi?"

The woman frown at the question, "No."

"Well, guess that settled the conversation," said the pointed-ear traveler.

"Yeah, no answers... no clothes for you. Alright then, see you later."

Ryona Matoi grumbled as the two started to leave, "Okay okay, you won! But we'll be walking far away from here for me to talk more."

"Do you know-?"

"Trust me," stated the beauty as she finish drinking her beverage — without any sign of alcohol intoxication. A minute afterwards, the trio walk miles away from the town and into the quiet desert.

Once there, she told them about her first encounter with a boxy, yellow robot called Claptrap (or was it Fragtrap)... who likes to talk a lot and panics sometimes. No idea how it arrived at first, but the lady nonetheless tag along with the one-wheeled droid that often danced and made jokes with little tastes while trying to locate its 'friends.' She later learn that the bot attempted to teleport two Imperial cohorts to a 'golden land of plenty' for the ill-guided sake of friendship (with the help of battle mages from the military groups in making a magical wand). Obviously, it didn't go as planned since the robot and Saderan troops were transported to a less than ideal place — which is Pandora of course. They got mad at him for taking them to an arid land of hostile creatures instead of a lush paradise; in addition to his cowardly behaviors and unpredictable outcomes from Claptrap's signature software. At one particular time, an armored skag rammed into the sentient machine that resulted in him being launched into the air and landed quite away from its original location; which was why the woman found it alone. After a few hours, the duo found a dozen legionaries being all injured at a campsite and separate from the cohorts already scattered away in smaller groups. Those soldiers got their fears up and defense positions ready when they saw her monstrous-looking set of armor that Ryona was wearing. Even so, Claptrap tried to heal them up with magic and digital programming while lacking a good sense of judgement. The lady let it slide regardless of the naivety of the act and the possibility of the warriors trying to kill her.

After a flash of light, ...nothing. Nothing happened at all and the Imperials remain injured. Could have said the same thing on a Ryona Koishna Matoi, if not for the items that were missing on her:

Combat suit, bra, panty, and even the zerg-liked hair follicles on her hair! They were all gone! (questionable on the undergarments' existence though) All turned to black ashes!

She was in a state of shock at the exposure of her entire body. To made matters worst, the yellow robot started to blabber out lewd jokes and other indecent statements about her nudity that left her embarrassingly flabbergasted. The medieval soldiers can't believe what they were seeing and began laughing at the comical scene since the imperials never thought that a beautiful woman was inside that beastly suit of armor. That hilarious moment was short-lived unfortunately, when armed bandits arrived at the area and decided to kill everyone and steal their loots. The raiders consisted of psychos, midgets, gun-wielding marauders, quad-wheeled technicals, and their 'bad-ass' versions (coined by the boxy droid who ran randomly across the battlefield while being scared as shit). Still having her high-tech sword intact though, the enraged broad sliced and stabbed at the incoming foes — which was before all the poor legionaries ended up dead. With virtually all the psychotic creeps deceased, she scavenged as much clothes, tools, and other items as needed from all the dead corpses (aside from hearing the machine's misplaced optimism and nonstop nonsense). In essence, the lady's uncomfortable interactions with it lasted for 8 months. Within that period, she had to be careful with Claptrap/Fragtrap's chaotic battle software that doesn't always digitized the appropriate action package for each situation; while also tinkering a new device inside her hidden dwellings that was capable of disabling the glitchy program and let the robot be... well, Claptrap. However, Matoi did received assistance from a 'friend' in dealing with the unpredictable bot. Once the gadget was completed, the woman firmly installed the tech onto the droid (far from her Pandoran habitat) and got the results as intended. When that's finished successfully, she then throw the machine high into the air with her recovered telekinesis at a very long distance... northwards.

The woman's reason: the robot being a big annoyance for far too long. Later on, she came to town for a break, which then lead to where the group is at the present.

"Well that's an interesting uh... explanation," said the enhanced elf feeling confused on whether to give sympathy towards the human chimera, yellow droid, or none at all.

"Yeah, and I may add 'strange' to such clarification," noted the cyborg who soon came up a request for her. "Aside from your lengthy answer, may we obtain a copy of your schematics on this restraint device you had spoke of?"

Ryona grumbled, "Hmm... whatever! Just wait here while I make haste to my hideout and back again." After ending that sentence, she ran rather quickly to her dwelling for the design sketch and weapons to bring along. By the time Matoi got back to the same area, she spotted two armed Warden dropships waiting for her. "Boy, isn't that just typical," the cloaked beauty irritably commented.

Even so, she boarded onto one of the aircraft that then took her to a large starship floating within the atmosphere. Once inside the airborne vessel, the lady looked at the selection of highly advanced combat nano-suits and armaments (as well as modifying them)... for two months. Not quite happy for Ryona to be involved with the testings of the latest weapon systems against the Falmarian gods and their apostles inside the massive ship, considering that she was designated as a 'stand-in' for the divine entities (despite herself being more potent than even them and regardless of which exoskeletons being worn). In the end however, the woman virtually defeated every one of those 'superweapons;' aside from several synthetic opponents that gave her much stronger challenges than she'd have anticipated - including a familiar 'rival' upgraded in 'angelic' complex armor. When the hovering aircraft was just miles away from the magical portal location after two months of intentionally slow travel, the human chimera picked her choices in spite of the situation and left the ship — while fall from the air to the ground unharmed. As she got nearer to the site of attention at her own pace, the dark armored beauty psychically sensed a big gathering that surrounded the holy hill. Under invisible camouflage, the woman discovered a massive construction project on top of the magic portal. It was obviously under Sanderan/Saderan jurisdictions, although she did spotted a covert platoon of special forces that slipped through the space-time opening without being seen by the Imperials (indicated by tiny optical distortion linings along the veiled cloaks that gave her their positions away with HUD). Once at the area undetected, the lady met up with the hidden observation teams who recorded the circumstances for over three months; upon which she checked thru the collected data while spying the building process simultaneously.

Fast forward two weeks, the Imperial structure was completed and accompanied by a massive army — including their camp followers — of the human empire. By then, the protective covered broad had finished analyzing the information a couple of days ago... and was feeling quite pissed on the few uncovered details. "I can't believe you guys on duty allowed these 'civilized' barbarians to kidnap unprotected civilians from their homeworld without any form of punishment on them."

"What else can we do? Directives from Terran and Eldar authorities strongly dictated us with reasons to observe the dimensional anomaly and not intervene the natives: Imperials or otherwise. As for those taken, our micro-scaled swarms nearby had already marked the captives with specific nano-scaled fluids inside for easier tracking and health monitoring. Yet they were just a tiny fraction out of the nearly 8 billion humans living on the other side," replied the overall surveillance leader in digital comm.

"Yeah, yeah, the huge population that I cannot ignore. Still, it may not be so good to just identified them as statistics." Ryona stated.

"Well regardless on what you just said, the captured people will eventually be rescued when their lives are in critical danger. As well as sending them back home once the other star-gate is completed on their dimensional reality, assuming that there are no political plans in placed."

"Oh, that sounded so heroic for AIs like you to do. Although I could say the same thing for your batshit-crazy buddies rampaging the parallel Earth on the-"

"Newsflash to all surveillance units, we spotted several mages circling the finished structure." A cloaked soldier notified everyone to see the magic-users doing... something.

"So... how long does this portal remain opened?" asked the lady.

"From the stories and speculations about this Falmarian 'Gate' at Alnus Hill, we would estimate it to be at least a year before closing. That being said however, these glory hounds appeared to be willing to go through great efforts to permanently fix the space-time portal into that Greco-Roman building." The company's leading unit commented.

"Okay... that relates to my next trivia: raise your hands if you think that this magic stuff is going to fail," said the armored woman who received hands being raised and radio confirmations from practically all combatants of the spying teams... except for her of course. "Wait... really?" Before she can say something though, a big flash of light appears at the center of the holy hill that blinds almost everyone across the wide terrain. When the luminescence was gone, the Imperial structure now looked energized under the magic-image sensors from the hidden groups with surprised looks on their faces. "Well that's certainly unexpected for you boys to see, eh?" Matoi spoke with a little smirk.

"Dear Lord, surprisingly indeed. All units, contact Command on this sudden change of event and for orders to follow!" As the Imperial war ceremony is underway, the spying teams have reach the higher commanders in planetary orbit thru telecommunications and inform the updated situation. Nevertheless, the authority units insisted on following surveillance protocols, get the robotic swarms ready for incoming civilians being captured, and not intervene whatsoever. "So that is it, huh? Fine then... all observation units, stand still as ordered from Command."

And so they did... but not for the irritated female who did eavesdropped on the digital conversations. "You can't be serious in just following commands, aren't you sir?"

"That's the way it is right now. Except for you with a rebellious streak who may wanted to start killing camp followers over there right away."

"What! Killing unarmed women, children, and the enslaved of the soldiers? I ain't going to go that low to stop a massive incident in the making! My intention now is to get this misguided army of savages far away from that... thing on the hill," retorted the hybrid while walking toward the site that is a kilometer away.

"Yes, yes, we understand tha-" the recon leader then received updates from their armed forces, which the beauty noticed and proceed to hear carefully. One detail is quite significant. "Okay then, here are the coordinates for bombardment."

A reply was soon followed, "Uh... sir, those coordinates also included the rear section of this enormous invasion force and they're mostly weaponless." She was quite alarmed at who are the targets when covertly looking at the digital map of the area.

"I can see that; but I was given exclusive order from the top echelon to annihilate the invaders if Miss Matoi here proceed to start killing every man, woman, and child of the aggressors current on the field. Understood?"

"Understood, sir. Out."

The offended gal walked close to him. "What the hell was that?!"

"A backup plan, just in case you decided to fight over there instantly."

"Are you fucking kidding me?! Those camp followers are roughly innocent to the corrupt decisions of their government!"

"That is true indeed, and yet those followers are also part of the Imperial army of legions as logistical supports — which makes them valid targets for destruction."

"Fuck that validity on those harmless people!" yelled the woman as she grab the metallic being and lift him up with both hands. "How about reconsidering other options to-"

"I should have mentioned that killing me or any personnel here will automatically trigger the naval barrage onto the massive invasion with high chance of collateral damage."

Now she's irritated at what had been activated without her knowledge. After some thoughts in frustration, Ryona drop the officer who just landed with ease.

"So let's be clear: if you don't want to see artillery shells raining death upon the scores of unarmed women and children in service of the Sanderan legions, then stay at your position and refrain yourself of any attack on the conquerors until all individuals of the Empire left the Alnus Hill zone or the commanding echelon say otherwise. Is that clear?"

"Errr... crystal... clear," said the mixed breed as the legions and auxiliaries enter the 'Gate' portal covered in flags and banners.

As time goes by for each passing hour, a number of things had been observed: the 93 people with different nationalities from Earth being captured (who were later get stung by the waiting swarms of micro-drones), more than half of the camp followers crossed the threshold of the physical portal, and... the massive number of panicked legionaries and auxiliaries running out of the magical entrance near the end of Day One. Around 112,000 of the invasion had yet to return back to Falmart/Falmarius/Sandera by Day 3, if ever. By that time, the remaining strength of this Imperial 'expedition' was just outside the base of their sacred hilly landscape and expecting the so-called barbarians to storm out of the 'Gate' — which did not come to fruition at this instant. Meanwhile, newly arrived drones in stealth mode fly towards the dimensional structure where they sprayed gallons of liquids containing millions of modified nanobots that quickly infiltrated themselves into the building materials and then permeated to the whole structure without being spotted. A few days later, a squad of scouts in hazmat uniforms appeared in front of the Alnus/Arnus gateway who began to collect data and samples of the unknown environment for further studies. To the eyes under the gas masks, the building looked the same as the one in the middle of the Ginza district (now under quarantine like the rest of Tokyo and in the process of having a big concrete dome covering it). Subsequently, they went back to the Japanese city with no realizations that **both** sides of the 'Gate' were actually saturated with nano-machines that uses energy from the sun to covertly reconstruct the internal framework of the Falmarian portal for greater reductions of space-time distortions. [Put it in another way, making two highly efficient star-gates within these Saderan constructed facades that allows the supernatural openings to stay open for many years — before any dimensional complication show up]

A week added to the wait and virtually nothing has materialized at the holy area. On the other hand, the Saderan/Sanderan army initiate their plans to barricade the enchanted access to the 'new' world and setup layers of defenses for a siege victory or possible destruction of the supernatural entry. A couple of days afterwards, the encirclement and the obstructions blocking the opening were nearly completed. Four legionaries and one centurion were on top of the Imperial doorway observing the improvisation for the upcoming siege. As they overlook the erections of these barriers, the warriors talked about several subjects like the outcome of this operation to defeat the off-worlders, going home victorious, reconquering the lands beyond, looting the enemy's treasures, enslaving the population for the slave markets, and the chance to uh... raped any alluring woman at their own pleasures. Okay... that last statement would piss off anyone with good amount of decency, which now includes an armored Matoi (invisible to the naked eyes of the legions of course) standing on the same roof for three days and showing small protrusions of zergish traits all over her body. A few days before the medieval fabrications, the top tiers of the Terran military hierarchy rescinded the drastic measure to stop the Imperial forces and relocated the recon company several meters more away from the sacred terrain. Logically speaking, the Empire suffered a devastating failure to dominate the other side of the space-time gateway, the surviving camp followers left the area safely, and there was a need to minimize exposure of their synthetic presence whenever the alternate Earth's counterattack arrives. Obviously, the rebel mutant ignored the commands — even if they're not actually designed for her — and move straight to the building unseen with her signature blade and a stealth-modified S3X Hammer plasma shotgun (fitted with a self-charged battery system for two years and able to fire in either scatter shot or solid shot modes).

So why the 'Gate' still intact? Well... before leaving on her own, she received a dare from the surveillance teams to utterly destroy that dimensional abomination like a terrible monster Ryona was perceived; added with denying the violated humans on Earth the obligations to seek proper justices on the Imperial attackers. Once on the rooftop, she figured that the inner skeletons modified by the nano-sized robots are already strong enough to resist multiple blows from powerful beings like herself. Even if that's not true, the idea of terminating such noble efforts to set things right sounded thoroughly... wrong to her. On that account, the concealed gal waited and watched the events unfolded. At this point of time though, she can't stand any longer on the blind arrogance and other excessive 'sins' presented to the chimeric human — despite all the losses they got when facing with automatic guns and cannons.

'To Hell with their unpunished vices. If I didn't like these primitives before, then I surely hate them now,' she voiced her disgust in her protected head. The woman soon walked behind the centurion and then kicked him hard to the air for many yards away from the top of the Greco-Roman structure, who eventually fall down to his death. While the four legionaries looked at what has happened in confusions, the female interloper on the same spot hand-grabbed two of them by their heads and bloodily smashed the warriors' skulls together. "Eh, guess their thick crania didn't stay solid for long." She passively throw the corpses to the holy ground, leading many more hostiles to pay attention. The last two tried to stab her by the sides with their gladius-styled swords but the defiant lady stopped them with her god-like telekinesis. Both imperials were in the air as she raised her arms upward... and then pushed the two flying away from her flanks with great force. Cohorts and auxiliaries draw their weapons in attack positions toward this beastly 'savage' that dare to assault them (with no clue of her inner appearance). Suddenly, they hear faint noises of buzzes slowly coming to Alnus hill. As that sound grew louder and louder, the Imperial forces at last witnessed its source: four airborne swarms of modified Bug drones in the millions converging to the 'Gate' and escorted by hundreds of Super-Bug variants per mass. Shock and awe permeates the medieval warriors with weapons at the ready who immediately shifted their aim at these 'insect' hordes that swiftly organized themselves in assault formation. The feisty trespasser showed no signs of surprises though, as she had 'borrowed' the swarming robots from the spying units before going solo — with permission to be exact.

"Alright everyone... have fun!" exclaimed Matoi with a slight smile underneath her combat helmet as she signaled the entire flock to attack the legions and mercenaries in the vicinity. Any fool that decided to stand and fight was given a huge volley of energy projectiles that shredded an organic individual to bits.

"STAND FIRM, MEN! EMLOY WILL PRO-!" A centurion's life was cut short by two volatile plasma bombs from a Super-Bug.

"By the gods, RUN!" "MUST RUNAWAY!" "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" screamed the terrified soldiers as entire cohorts and auxiliaries units were gunned down with ease; and sometimes got tossed around viciously into the skies by the sheer numbers of drones that collectively grabbed the unlucky ones with their robotic arms.

"Ha, ha, ha! That's right you little IMPS, RUN!" laughed the violet-eyed rogue sitting on the portal's rooftop while other groups of those flying droids commenced the dismantling process on the barricades plugging the entryway and the siege defenses surrounding it (In addition to repairing any damaged machines from the slaughter and 'cleaning up' the deceased).

Moving on to over three months time, the dimensional building continued to exist as it was in the darkness after midnight; apart from the zerg-armored killer overseeing the vast hill and several dug-up positions made by the six-wheeled drones that had guided more scouts for more information before heading back to Tokyo many times since last month. During that recon period, the camouflaged beauty monitored the Japanese and on occasion American activities as the newcomers studied the unknown environment before them. Did they saw any swarms nearby?

Nope. The metal bugs under her directions were all busy in creating turmoils on the Imperial army and their reinforcements (for the purpose of keeping them very far away from the enchanted gateway). Nevertheless, the woman's control over the deadly drones expired four days ago due to growing 'resistances' from the gigantic swarms as time goes by and the leaked knowledge they read from her mind about the coalitions' actions and plans. When those robots returned to Terran starships, forty thousand fighters of the Empire cautiously regrouped and marched steadily toward Alnus/Arnus Hill. Tired though, the legions and auxiliaries camped near the wide, outer base of the holy ground at late afternoon of yesterday. As the hours came closer to dawn, the female chimaera lying on the roof with her back promptly sensed rumbling sounds entering through the parallel Earth side of the 'Gate.' All thanks to her being in physical contact with the exterior materials acting as transmission mediums for the advanced artificial frames inside. Speaking of which, the interior structures on both sides had now 'grew' root-like micro-filaments underground and undetected from scientific experts. Particularly so for the Tokyo-attached entry that already had the reinforced concrete dome being infiltrated by hundreds of those tiny metallic threads without altering the outside appearance.

With the rumbles becoming more easily audible, Ryona activated her invisibility powers of her battle suit and stand near the edge of the top. Out came Type 10 Hitomaru and Type 90 Kyu-maru tanks of the JGSDF moving side by side with M1A1 Abrams MBTs from the U.S. Marine Corps. Following the direct-fire heavy-hitters were Type 89 infantry fighting vehicles, LAV-25 armored reconnaissance vehicles, Type 75 and M109A6 Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzers, and multitudes of other vehicles setting themselves into defensive formations. Imperial scouts spotted the military buildup at the entrance and thus quickly report this to their army encampment. With words about the foreign encroachment widespread, the Saderan forces assemble as soon as possible in battle order.

"Teki ga mokugeki shita!" stated a self-defense force tanker by radio as that exclamation got troops in armored hazmat suits to professionally exit from the troop transports and occupy designated battle stations with their lethal arsenals. By dawn, both combatants can visibly see each other their numbers and war gears. Minutes later, Imperial horns sounded the start of the assault to retake the sacred site... which ultimately lead to their utter devastation in this lopsided battle (or slaughter since the coalition received no harm at all).

At the very least for the concealed combat beauty, she got the chance to see the 'fireworks' displayed by the allied expedition. Afterwards, it's all about observations on the operations of this expeditionary force in secret... for nine boring months with no real battles coming up. That being said, the lady did found enjoyments that randomly appeared from time to time whether inside or outside the military installations. They included hunting and cooking pesky animals that slip thru the 'Gate' such as raccoons and rats; eavesdropping on different cultures within the task force; retrieving music, history, science, and other data from their vast and compacted digital storage; and checking out the firearms and vehicles at their disposal. Frankly though, much of these killing machines are quite old when compared to the newest arsenals back on Earth (M60A3-SLEP Patton, T72B3 Ural, and Type 74 Nana-yon battle tanks to the more contemporary combat vehicles that were redeployed back to the other side for examples — except for two dozen Abrams tanks crewed by American marines). Still, these 'antiques' remained deadly to the medieval armies on this magical continent.

If only that could had been said on the most interesting military group of this human alliance: the 222nd Armored Battalion B-Company or 'Bad Company' as infamously been called by U.S. personnel for confidential matters. These soldiers were not provided protections for chemical or biological threats, which were virtually nonexistent at the moment, under the pretense of evaluating the potential damages from unknown microbes. In truth however, the reason they got the word 'Bad' in the military unit was due to unprofessional behaviors significant enough to had a great majority of them transferred in the first place. The most notable of those continued to act on such misdemeanors was an American redneck who has a tendency to make things eh... explode, regardless of who's stuff belongs to. Overall anyhow, Matoi deemed these unorthodox soldiers and their naughty antics to be... well, funny.

XXXXXX

And that brings her today as she reclined on top of the completed dome in the dark, early morning and contemplating her thoughts while being stealthy simultaneously. Kind of think about, B-Company also shared the same nickname and bad habits with another company under Terran 'control.' The difference now is that the punished group of cyborgs and other artificial intelligence were often sent to the battlefields as expendable assets since the missions given to them all had greater chances for the penalized combatants to die. Oh wait, the powerful woman is quite a rebel toward her Terran pals and thus qualified for 'Bad' Company. Logically nonetheless, the explanation for her not being sent to that collection of malfunctions was the high probability of the female freak to completely annihilate the whole unit; if she gets rubbed in the wrong way. And the higher authorities simply can't have that to happen. Out of curiosity, Ryona did wondered where had the misbehaving Terran company gone to in this universe. Aside from the usual Ork territories, there were rumors of them being deployed to one of a few planets inhabited by human migrants who came to the magical dimension thru the original stargate in interstellar space many centuries again. This far away world in a distant star system had been a hub of experimentation on magic and the unique physics of this cosmos for a long time. Regrettably, that habitable globe is now home to super-powered troublemakers reminiscent of powerful villains that usually existed in very old stories related to literature, arts, and other entertainments from many ancient cultures. Or so said the speculations that the armored gal heard with little interests, considering that she's forty-five years old and not yet feeling fatigued on this supernatural planet.

'But enough of that pondering, how about some rest for a moment?' she considered in her mind; which soon happen on the reinforced structure that sealed the 'Gate.' Ten minutes before daylight morning, the chimeric human wakes up, look around, and wait once more.

"Well, let's see what's coming up this time around."

* * *

 **For some clarification, the physical 'Gate' will be more like the one in the manga version.**

 **In addition, a hint for some of these starships: sharpened pencils in different lengths being arranged.**

 **9/03/2017: Edits on a couple of numbers and laughing.**


	3. Chapter 3

**The following additional franchises in this story belongs to their proper owners: Frontlines - Fuel of War, Ace Combat series, Tom Clancy's EndWar, Metal Gear series, and Rise of the Reds modification for C &C General - Zero Hour. **

**Also: if some of the names for the fictional characters happened to coincide with anybody in real life, then my apologies in advance.**

* * *

After the sunrise of the morning at Alnus base….

"Attention!" shouted a Sergeant Major Soichiro Kuwahara in Japanese who notified the JSDF recon team on Lieutenant Youji Itami's arrival at one of the vehicle staging areas. "Recon Team Three reporting in!"

"Hi there Pops! And good morning to uh…" the otaku leader greeted as he looked at his eleven compatriots standing in order manners behind the three recon vehicles, wearing the green hazmat armor and open-air Kevlar helmets, and holding their Howa Type 64 rifles in arms. "...everyone. Eh… I'm commander of the Special Region Recon Team Three, Itami." stuttered the self-defense force officer. He then muttered, "All because I missed the Yurikamome at Shinbashi that day. And now I'm a squad commander." Immediately, the lieutenant spotted a hand raised by Sergeant First Class Shino Kuribayashi. "Yes, Shino-san?"

"Lieutenant, I think your speech needed more words than that. Especially for our allied support when they come here."

"That sound… reasonable. I'll see what I can put together in my head right now," replied the recon leader. Soon enough, he sees two Humvees with United States Army insignias coming to his team's direction. One of them has the M2 heavy machine gun while the other one has a Mark 19 automatic grenade launcher. All crewed by soldiers in full hazmat armor suits. "Huh… guess we're working with the Americans for today."

As these automobiles come to a stop, a passenger exit the front Humvee and lift up the armored visor to reveal a woman of Mexican descent. "Pardon me, sir. Do you know where Recon Team Three is right now?" she asked in English.

"Oh. Actually, I'm the leader of the team you are looking for, ma'am." Itami responded in the respective language.

"Aww… thanks for the help, sir. Specialist Mirenda Rios and Charlie squad here from the 55th Infantry Division, C-Company."

"Nice to meet you, too. The name's-"

"Lieutenant Youji Itami from yesterday. Is that correct?"

"Uh… yes, that's right - oh, wait. You're the lady who went to the encampment of B-Company for an errand run, isn't?"

"Yeah, likewise. Anyway though, when are we about to start going?" asked the female American whose short conversations left the Japanese team confused.

"Well, eh… soon! After my confidence speech that is, okay?"

"Hmm… sure, go ahead." Mirenda confirmed the JSDF officer to start his oration.

"Alright then. Ahem… ladies and gentlemen. We're on the eve of our first reconnaissance mission to these new lands outside the perimeters around the gate. Now, as you… can… see… uh?" His presentation is interrupted by the sight of a BTR-82A APC with a 30mm 2A72 auto-cannon turret and Russian symbols as it moves closer to the recon team's position.

After the armored vehicle halt itself in close proximity to the bewildered scouting group, the commander hatch open and come out a Russian officer wearing a Soviet badge hat. "Excuse me sir! Is this the Third Recon Team?" said the passenger in English.

Youji confirmed the question, "Ah… yes, this is Recon Team Three and uh… the commander is me, Lieutenant Youji Itami."

"Oh, good to meet you. Starshina Dimitri Kamarov at your service!" The newly arrived sergeant get a quick handshake with the slightly nervous Japanese leader and later signal his team to exit the armored carrier. Out came a big man at least six feet tall , a female sniper with her newest long-range rifle, and the driver. These arrivals brought the attention of the rest of the recon unit, including Shino with interests on the Russians.

The JSDF lieutenant resumed his speech, "Eh, eh… well uh… um, as I was saying: we got a lot of firepower at our disposal! Even so, our assignment is to win the hearts and minds of the native people living on this new world. Thus, it won't be a success if their hearts and minds are uh… splattered all over the ground in blood." The assembled military personnel looked at him in silence. "So yeah… check your targets before you uh… open fire," Itami stated in a casual manner.

"This is Mike-One-Juliet to Recon Team Three, over." A woman's voice is heard through the wireless comms of the survey team. No one had yet to reply for several seconds though. "Uh… hello? To Recon Team Three from Mike-One-Juliet, can you hear me?"

Youji finally respond, "Duh, kon'nichiwa Mike-One-Juliet! This is Lieutenant Itami, commander of Recon Team Three and uh… sorry for the unexpected wait, miss."

"Oh… thanks you for your confirmation, Chūi-san. Genjitende wa, anata no yunitto ya RCT 3 o tedasuke suru atarashī haken tantōshadesu. Mata, anata no gurūpu wa dekirudakehayaku idō suru koto o o susume shimasu. Jissai no RCT 3 o rikai shite imasu ka?"

"Ā... Rikai shita maikuwanjurietto! Watashi wa anata ga watashitachi no kotoba de hanasu koto ga dekiru to wa omowanakatta."

"Just happened to be fluent in Japanese during my time in language courses, sir. And good luck taking care of our soldiers under your command for this mission, okay?"

"Alright Mike-One-Juliet, I will do my best to-"

Kamarov intervened the radio conversation, "Pardon me Mike-One-Juliet. I'm Starshina Kamarov from the Eastern Military District of the Russian Federation and my comrades are assigned to cooperate with the third recon unit, over."

A short pause came before she reply. "Okay, I'm surprised to be talking with a Russian officer for this reconnaissance."

"Indeed madam. That being said respectfully, Itami's rank as leytenant is above my equivalent position of a master sergeant. Therefore, the overall decision making for this recon team lay within his responsibilities as the leader. Is that right, Mike-One Juliet?"

"It certainly is, Sergeant Kamarov." The female officer redirect her attention to the JSDF lieutenant, "Anyway RCT3 Actual, let's not waste more time staying on the asphalt. Understood?"

"Loud and clear, miss!" Youji Itami answered.

"Good then. This is Mike-One-Juliet, out." Ended the transmission.

The Japanese commander nervously chuckled as he look at the mixed scout party. "All right… let's get going everyone!"

"Rikonchīmu 3, maunto!" Kuwahara shouted, which got them entering their transports, start the engines, and then cruise out of the staging zone.

As the recon column is just outside the outer-defense perimeter of the entire encampments… "John Lennon! I can't believe that we're really working with the hippy-nippy-liberal and the Ruskies," said an enclosed American with a Texas accent driving one of the Humvees.

"And let's not forget about the other Japanese soldiers and Mike-One-Juliet," commented another.

"Ah yes, the dulcet tones of Miss July!"

"Boys, just tone down the volume will you? The JSDF team will freak out and may cancel the mission," stated a voice with more authority.

On the other U.S. vehicle… "Hey, miss Rios? How long can we keep up with this fucking charade?" asked the U.S. Army passenger.

"Well… I may say very long, Johnny. And probably keep doing this veil when working with other international units," replied the female soldier.

"Well ma'am, good luck with that being possible with uh… B-Company," added the driver.

Inside the BTR… "Tovarishch Kamarov, vy zametili chto-to strannoye v otnoshenii amerikantsev?" questioned the six-foot Russian sitting on one of the cabin seats.

"Khm ... ne uveren, chto yesli byt' spokoynym i pokrytym litsom, eto mozhno schitat' strannym, serzhant Kirrlov. Vy khotite pogovorit' s nimi seychas?" said the Russian officer.

"YA vse yeshche mogu zhdat' podkhodyashchego momenta, ser."

A few minutes later… "Hey, does anyone here remember the last dispatch officer; before Miss July?"

"I think his name was Joe Wardon… or something like that, Sweetwater."

"Hmm… he was real grumpy the last time we met," responded the 'Texan.'

"Yeah, he didn't like us. He said that we had some disciplinary problems."

"Was that before or after Haggard punched him?" said the Sarge.

Meanwhile, back on Earth at a Californian grassland…

Nobody at the moment. There several trees scattered all over the landscape dominated by the golden-colored grasses. Several minutes later, five cigar-shaped objects crash-landed across the vast grassy terrain. As the dust settled, sensors on those dark-green artifacts scan the flora surrounding them. The results include the native plants and the numerous introduced vegetation brought here in recent years through global trades or centuries ago by European explorers in their colonial conquests. After analyzing the outcomes, the foreign cylinders electronically open their tiny doors and out comes hundreds of thousands of insect-like 'creatures' composed of organic and synthetic building blocks. The techno-organic swarms proceed to cut down any non-native species that are more destructive on the terrain while also leaving alone the indigenous plant life. Within minutes, half an acre per article is stripped clean of these invasive vegetation. Just arriving at the landscape are a group of feral hogs on the move and finding something to eat. Several adult pigs and piglets got very close to these unknown objects without fear. Six minutes later, deeper holes instantly appear below the hoofed pests and the alien swarms quickly converge on them. The wild hogs squeal as they get carved up into hundreds of pieces by the innumerable micro-cutters of those insectoids.

Additionally, these 'artificial' intrusions are repeated elsewhere that contained many invasive species; like the rat problems in New Zealand and cane toad concentrations in Australia.

Somewhere in North Korea around the same time…

A military patrol of trucks and boats operate along the Korean coastlines facing the Sea of Japan. For several years, they had patrolled the eastern shorelines up and down many times. Despite a few incidents with foreign vessels from the expected South Koreans or Japanese, no war has yet to erupt. After a while, they pause on a spot facing the sea and near a coastal town for more surveillance on any seafaring intruder and their own people. Minutes passed by and the patrol began to resume the monitoring operation when one soldier spotted something very far to the vast body of seawater.

Actually, make that a dozen large-rocketing objects heading skyward as one binocular revealed. As these unfamiliar devices are heading toward the east coast in a tall arching pathway, the border guards sounded the alarm on all nearby units for this intrusion. While the commotions are occurring on the ground, two of those giant ballistic missiles go straight up to the stratosphere. Once at a certain height, their payloads are released; revealing two observation satellites with advanced hovering engines to stay at the intended locations. The rest of them surprisingly deployed two rotor blades per machine for floating in the sky through counter-rotating mechanisms. As the activated anti-air batteries locked on the airborne targets, the ten objects' remaining casings came off - allowing hundreds of smaller devices to be unleashed. Simultaneously, missiles from the AA emplacements are fired and hit the trespassing entities on the mark. Unexpectedly, those levitating machines survived the first missile strikes which lead to more homing projectiles to eventually destroy them. However, the North Korean forces were distracted enough to be scanned by the two mechanical bodies in the stratosphere and for hundreds of larger vessels to emerge from the sea and suspend themselves into the air in under a minute. In an instant, those compact objects in the skies come 'alive' and maneuver to the painted targets across a large section of the coastlines:

With explosive results on trucks, boats, tanks, anti-air defenses, and other military equipment marked for destruction.

Soon after the devastation, the invading fleet launch dozens of fast-moving aircraft like the forward swept-wing Berkut IIs and Ishcheykas/Bloodhounds, delta-shaped Sokols and Fandances, and MRB-131s to attack enemy positions inland. Concurrently, over a hundred helicopters such as the rotor-propelled HP-48 Krokodils, co-axial Ozorniks/Hellions, and twin ducted-fan Gipers/Hypers proceed to neutralize remaining hostiles or place human-shaped troops on the ground to establish deployment zones for reinforcements on the nearby coast plains and the few towns caught in the one-sided battle. As the robotic invaders in brownish bullet-resistant armor clear out resistance with their 'Soviet' firearms (K8-Krukov and Mongol assault rifles, PP2020 sub-machine guns, Laayats 15 combat shotguns, and PKH handheld machine guns for example), incoming transports like the Locust/Sarancha choppers carrying a squad, heavier rotor-powered Tarantulas/Tarantuls holding armored vehicles, and tandem rotored Gorbuns/Hunchbacks with different cargo types later follow. Exiting these aircraft includes TT77M Nosorog battle tanks covered in explosive armor, 8-wheeled ZHUK BR-3 APCs and their artillery variants: ZHUK RS-Z0s fitted with a multi-rocket launch system of twelve 130mm projectiles, twin electro-coil wielding TT-2 Tesla tanks, and GZ-550 quad-wheeled armored cars. And more of them keep coming to the deployment areas as the alien soldiers capture towns, ports, and prisoners of war.

To make things worse for the Asian 'hermit kingdom,' another large-scale invasion is underway on the western coast of North Korea at the same moment. In contrast to the 'Russian/Siberian' designs, this massive force is equipped with a mixture of 'Chinese-made' arsenals and 'unique' copies of the Soviet military hardware. This translate to all the aircraft, tanks, firearms, and-

Oh… let's not forget that these war machines do not have solid history of their existence on this Earth. Quite frankly, the manufacturing and service records of the out-of-placed armaments can be found in their original/alternate universe… or the archive facilities throughout the magical star system.

Five hours later in the elf village of Koan Forest….

An Hodaro Ray Mariceau was hunting near the edge of the numerous woods, which had been done many times for centuries. Then, he hears a strange vrooming sound very far away from the woodlands. Curious of what it is, the elf run elegantly toward the source and stop on a strong branch of a tree near the open plains. Using his sharp eyes in a distance, he soon saw what appears to be horseless carriages heading for his village… and at great speed. While he return to the elven settlement with news of his observations, the three incoming vehicles eventually come to a halt after passing the boundaries of the multiple trees… followed by another three military transports coming closer to the area. In terms of arrival, the first one is a Humvee with a victorious Texan redneck, second is another Humvee containing an African-American sergeant, the third vehicle is a Russian BTR-82A, in fourth place is a Mitsubishi Type 73 light truck, number five is a Toyota high mobility vehicle with the team leader, and the last one is a Komatsu LAV.

"WAHOO! Let's give an applause to the NASCAR Hagginator in first place! YEE-HAW!" Haggard happily shouted in the driver seat, now wearing his beanie.

"Luckily, all three of us aren't complaining about this enjoyment!" commented an Asian-American currently without the enclosed hazmat helmet.

"And a reminder on fixing that muscle car in the shed once I'm back at home," added a Private Bobby Sanford.

The excitement is shortly interrupted by an annoyed Sergeant Redford still in his sealed uniform walking towards them. "Alright you three! Who in his right mind decided to start a silly race while doing recon duties?!"

The rest of the scouting group look at the ongoing dialogues between Sarge and the rowdy crew in the first car with mixed feelings. "To be honest, that chase was quite fun in alleviating some boredom with the reconnaissance." Private Marlowe commented who is still in the other Humvee.

"Sure, Preston. It's all fun and games at the cost of our fabricated identity to this self-defense force team of Japan," countered Sweetwater.

Sergeant Kuribayashi is outside and stared at the commotion with surprise like her Japanese compatriots. "Ā, watashi wa daremoga soko o mite iru no o mi teru no?!" Meanwhile, the Russians just look at the scene with little sign of interest (except for the little smirk from an Oleg Kirrlov).

"Mā... Sukunakutomo, watashitachiha motto hayaku koko ni tadoritsuita," said the JSDF lieutenant before giving out a sigh.

"Mike-One-Juliet to RCT3 on status update, over." The dispatch lady intervene thru radio comm links.

Youji replied, "RCT3 Actual to Mike-One-Juliet, we have… arrive at the edge of the so-called Koan Forest. It should take five minutes to reach the village inside."

A short wait followed prior to her response. "Lieutenant, your unit usually still be on the road miles ahead of the objectives. So how in the world did you soldiers got there fast within 25 minutes?"

"Hmm… I could say that some of the Americans are more… eager to get the job done than most of us here, ma'am." That's the answer he gave to her as the officer got out of the JSDF Toyota vehicle and take a view on the 'conversation' up ahead.

"Yeah… still, do what you can in cooperating with Bravo One Charlie on this survey mission. Call back when you're done talking with the villagers, RCT3 Actual. Mike-One-Juliet, out."

Youji stand where he is today like a statue as the word Bravo One Charlie enters his mind with a bit of dread - and missing the chance to reply back at the last minute. Regardless, he regain consciousness and walk to the Americans near the front humvee. "Umm… is everything okay here, Redford?"

The US Army officer answered in slight frustration while having his separate helmet tucked firmly within his left arm. "Ergh… with the consideration that you now know our real identity, I would say no."

Haggard's voice barged in, "Come on Sarge, it isn't all so bad. I mean… at least the Japs got their lazy butts back in-"

"Shut your mouth, Haggard!" The dark-skinned sergeant commanded in a more angry tone.

The JSDF lieutenant announced his decision on what to do at this moment while moving one of his hands up and down on his helmet. "Let's not get to the point where being too angry can be a bad thing, everyone. In my conclusion as the recon commander, we will continue to do the same things being done on the last three villages we met despite what has happened recently." Itami turn his attention to the Russians, "Kamarov, have your unit provide over-watch on the hill close to the forest over there." The Japanese officer pointed at the hill conveniently bordering along the woodlands. "Redford, your squad will be around nine yards behind us when we stop near the village. Once that occurs, Bravo One Charlie will also stay there for another sentry role on any incoming danger. After my JSDF squad are done communicating with the locals, all of Recon Team Three will drive straight to base. So, are we all good on that plan?" Most of the surveillance group nod in approval. Apart from uh…

"Actually, I do have a small quibble about-"

"Haggard, please just hold your beef on the lieutenant for a long while. Comprende?" Mirenda asked in a tired mood.

Shino added, "I agree. And if you don't stop misbehaving at this point, then I will beat the living crap out of you!"

"Alright, alright! So practically all of us can agree to the strategy today! Now let us resume our recon mission, people!" Youji ordered. Everyone eventually went on board the vehicles and start their usual assignments. Shortly afterwards, the Japanese leader and his compatriots have parked several feet from the village. Thru radio transmission, Itami check on Redford to assess the position of the Americans. "Sergeant Redford, is Bravo One Charlie staying put on their location?"

"Yes we are, lieutenant. Everyone including Haggard and Gat are yards away as you say."

"Good. Call you back later when my people have completed the friendly chat with the villagers here, out." The JSDF lieutenant exit the vehicle with only a pistol in the holster and a notebook for writing down info. Following him are Takeo Kurata, Mari Kurokawa, Soichiro Kuwahara, Akira Tomita, and Shino Kuribayashi (the latter three bring in their primary rifles that are slung behind their backs to be non-threatening). "Hah… aside from the latest stunt made by the Yankees, this world with its blue sky is quite something." The recon leader said in Japanese and a more relaxed state as his team walk slowly.

Sergeant Kurata commented, "Sir, there are similar places like this in Hokkaido though. My expectations for these lands were to see fantasy stuff like dragons and fairies flying around. And yet so far, all the settlements we've run into are full of humans living in a period like Medieval Europe. What a bummer on that aaand…"

"And… what, Takeo?"

"Being in fifth place on that race. Behind our front jeep, the Russians in their BTR, and the American Humvees with the redneck at the top."

"Eh!? You really want to race Haggard again?"

"Why not! That Texan unexpectedly start driving at full throttle after us coming back inside our vehicles from Koda Village. And if I beat him fair and square in a proper driving contest, then that honor might get attention from any appealing monster-girl on this parallel world!"

"Wow… you really wanted to see some cat-eared ladies, do you?

"I sure do. And let's not forget about voluptuous sorceresses, pretty-looking dullahans, and even the expected elves with their pointed ears like how those villagers ha-... what the…?" Sure enough, the people of this isolated and somewhat large settlement cautiously come out of their constructed habitats (in the tall trees and on the ground) and the Japanese scouts also noticed the elongated hearing organs that all the locals have. Several have their swords and bows at the ready, while the rest do not carry any weapon at all. Frankly, the JSDF personnel are in a state of wonder.

The lieutenant spoke, "All… right… remember to be as friendly as usual every-."

"This is awesome, Commander! We're actually seeing real elves! Now there's no doubt that good things are coming our way. Hooray for the Special Region!" Sergeant Kurata cheered as he instinctively hug his leader. The other squad-mates look at the scene with giggles, silence,... and embarrassment (which is being more expressed by Miss Kuribayashi). Quite strange for the humanoids to see this child-like behavior coming from the two human males in unknown clothes. Several of the children and even the 'older' elves can't help but laugh a little at the weird interaction.

Hodaro chuckled at the unexpected scene as well, but he still can see that these visitors are soldiers. Thus with two armed elves accompanying him, the elf leader saunter toward the foreign group for any clues about their intentions. " _:Who are you and why are you here?:"_ The male humanoid said in the Imperial language with more authority after he got close enough, which made the otaku soldiers got their act together to resume their duties.

Meanwhile, the military personnel of Bad Company continue to wait at the designated area.

' _So… what just happened today? Well in short, we covered ourselves in full armored suits and hid the name Bravo One Charlie under a phantom name based in World War Two deceptions. It was Miss Rios' recommendation of course, since there the chance that someone in a recon group who notice us instantly will say no to B-Company, try to cancel the mission, or do other actions because of our… 'negativity.' After that, we joined Recon Team 3 under the command of Lieutenant Youji Itami or the Hero of Ginza as he was nicknamed. As for more surprises, a Russian armored vehicle and its crew became a part of the scouting party and a new dispatch officer called Mike-One Juliet or Miss July was assigned to help this reconnaissance unit. When the mission started, we managed to be quiet about our true presence as B-Company to the rest for three visits on human villages… although the Russians had found out about our identity and kept that secret from the JSDF allies; thanks to this Sergeant Oleg Kirrlov and his uh… detective skills. It all changed however, when a bored George Haggard decided to go racing after all of RCT3 were back onboard their vehicles and given the next coordinates for a settlement in a Koan Forest. Which is where… well you know. But let's get back to the story.'_

Sweetwater asked a question. "Sarge, can I make a call to dispatch or is that like... a strictly sergeanty thing? Or is it more lieutenant-like?

"What kind of call would that be?"

Haggard added, "A booty call!"

"I just think she has… you know… a fascinating personality," said Terrence

Redford replied, "I bet you do."

"Speaking of wonderful personalities, what do all of us right here think about that balloon-chested Kuribayashi?" asked an abrasive Gat.

Mirenda spoke, "Actually Johnny, her chest-size is not humongous and not small either."

"Oh, then how did you found out?"

"Hmm… it's like a month ago where there's nothing special about washing myself in the enclosed Japanese hot tubs for only women; like every other week before."

"Woohoo, that sounds waaay over PG-13!"

"¡Olvídalo! In short, I happened to met her on that day and her bust-size is appropriate enough to not seriously arouse undisciplined men."

"Huh, is that it?"

"Well, I did have a talk with her and hear Shino saying about being stuck with slackers like Itami and an American maniac known as Haggard; in a very bad mood by the way."

The eyeglass wearing soldier then said, "Yeah… she definitely has quite a bad temper for being a dedicated sergeant. Along with this tendency to charge into her targets with a bayonet rather than firing at a distance. Almost like you Hags."

"Hey, I would go for my Mossberg 500 shotgun for close-quarters rather than a long, pointy knife. I also remembered her umm… smiling like the Cheshire Cat, as the nippy gal cut and stab thru the bulls-eyes in training. Am I supposed to freak out or what?"

"I'm amazed that an explosive expert like yourself could get disturbed by Kuribayashi's more sadistic side!"

Bobby Sanford asked a different question, "That might be enough chatting on that woman. So how about Mari Kurokawa?"

"Well Sanford, that lady is quite a hottie from the Land of the Rising Sun." Gat commented

Sweetwater remarked, "I can actually agree on that. Mari is very often calm, has ladylike quality…"

"And a very sharp tongue when she gets mad enough. Just like when you didn't shut up while being next to her at one time, Sweets." The redneck stated further.

"Wait, what? Why did you have to bring that up?"

The American sergeant interrupted, "Can you misfits be silent on that inappropriate go-?!"

"Kamarov to all RCT3 units, come in. RCT3 Actual, do you copy?" The radio equipment comes alive throughout the whole recon team.

The JSDF lieutenant responded while being in the middle of information gathering from the elf leader. "This is RCT3 Actual reading you. Status?"

"My team have spotted an unknown object that is about eight klicks to the south of your position," the Russian starshina answered.

"Unknown you say?"

"Da, it is still a blur at our positi-... uh, wait. I got a clearer visual on the target. Red color… shaped like a fantasy dragon… and coming in to your po-... Ah chert! It's way bigger than I thought! Watch out, leytenant!"

"Nani?" Youji wondered as he look around at the sky for anything big… and sure enough, a large darken silhouette came into view.

" _:FLAME DRAGON!:"_ shouted Hodaro and others that spotted the red flying beast. Many of the inhabitants scream and ran for their lives or rush to get their stored weapons while the Japanese soldiers stared at the biggest reptile they had ever seen in shock.

"Kata atama no gidora-ō?!" said the older sergeant major.

"Hontōni, Poppusu? Sono bunka-tekina sanshō wa amarini mo furu sugiru! Wareware wa ōkina jisseikatsu no ryū ni choku-!" Itami said almost completely before the hostile hovering animal immediately breathes fire very close to their location of the settlement with devastating results on the natives and also produced an air blast that knock the team members backward to the ground. As the lieutenant got his bearings first, he soon witnessed the unlucky elves of all ages along with their buildings being burned to char. One burning woman crawl to him in terror as she cry for an end to the searing torture. That horrific scene has unfortunately triggered a painful memory within the psyche of the Japanese recon leader, leaving him quite… 'lost.' As more of the pushed JSDF personnel got up, they saw the scorch on the people and the lands and even noticed their commander just… standing there.

"Chūi! Anata no chūmon wa nanidesu ka?!" The female medic asked as the elves in front of her are being burnt alive… but received none from Youji.

In response, Kuwahara run to him and get his leader back to making life-and-death decisions. "Itami! Naka-dashi! Watashinokoegakikoemasuka?!"

As the ancient dragon descend elsewhere within the village and begin eating and killing everything in its sight, the elvish archers and conjurers unleashed their volleys of arrows and spirit magic energies onto the giant creature. Yet the weapons and enchanted skills succeeded in gaining the attention of the fire dragon, which spew a stream of flame at the defenders in return for every attempt by the elves.

Arriving at the JSDF location just now is the US Army B-Company squad who had heard the commotion from their previous position. "What the hell is this?!" shouted Redford.

"A really big fire, Sarge." Preston answered.

"By who or what, I mean?!" Before anyone can reply to Sarge's question, a loud roar is heard and the American group shortly spot a giant dragon eating more unfortunate natives.

"Holy cow! That's one big S.O.B. wrecking the town!" Haggard stated.

"Yeah, you're such a good spotter!" noted the dark-skinned sergeant who soon look at the Japanese leader being non-reactive and his second-in-command snapping him back to reality. Bad Company also noticed the unusual situation.

Looking back and forth at Itami and B-Company a few times and with little time left, Shino immediately kick her commanding officer to get him awake. Youji let out a yelp consequently and turn his head at the female offender.

"Anata wa nani no tame ni sore o shimashita ka?!"

"Sensei, ima chūmon ga hitsuyōdesu!" shouted the more serious woman.

But before the lieutenant can quickly process a plan, a loud sound is heard from Haggard's shotgun. Its 12-gauge pellet ammo hit the cheek side of the red beast in a wide pattern and very close to its right eye; which interrupted the scaly creature's chase on its preys and redirect its sight toward the source. "Get a load of this you big ass alligator!" The redneck fires again and the scattershot hit the animal's face with no damage due to distance and lost of kinetic energy (like having a shower of harmless pebbles or a whip-cream pie into your face). The flame dragon roar in annoyance after reopening its eyes from the insult.

"Aw shit! Take evasive action and SHOOT!" barked the Sarge as Bravo One Charlie instantly enter the two Humvees and drive throughout the burning settlement while firing at the large beast and avoiding collisions simultaneously.

The Japanese soldiers are quite flabbergast at the events unfolding in front of them. Even so, the recon commander ran through his mind and assess the situation for a plan. And he got one just in time. "Everyone! Help the civilians to safety as many as you can! Once that's done, we can support the Americans in attacking the dragon!" They understood and spread out to rescue any elves trapped and injured.

"My little friend here has a lot more to give, you fire-breathing fucker!" Johnny Gat shouted while firing the attached Mark 19 grenade launcher at the big beast, with Sanford driving the vehicle and Haggard using his Mossenberg in the back seat. The 40mm high-explosive grenades managed to push its scaly skin inwards despite the scales themselves not being broken. And like a bear being shot by a BB gun, the giant gets more irritated and spew a flame at the mobile Humvee but miss the armored car instead. At this point, the ballistic weaponry (including the 12.7mm rounds from the M2 machine gun) are not making significant outcomes on the creature's tough hide. As the fight drags on however, the dangerous dragon takes the time to... think. It access the speed of the vehicles in circular movement and ready itself to emit a fire blast at a predicted course.

By chance, Samuel Redford in the front passenger seat of the other Humvee notice the beast's behavior. "Sweetwater! Hit the brakes now!"

Just as the reptilian creature unleashed its attack, the glass-wearing private as the driver managed to halt the vehicle that is a couple of feet away from the now inflamed area in front of them like a long wall. "That was too close!" It's also a close call for the Humvee with the grenade launcher, which made a right turn in parallel with the engulfing fire attack away from the hostile wildlife.

The fire-breathing organism recoil back from its previous assault... and gets hit suddenly by four explosive rounds from the BTR -82A's autocannon at a long range (still on the hill for overwatch) and a couple of 14.5 mm sniper rounds sent by two modified OSV-120 rifles. The 30mm shells on its head did more pain than the grenades from the Mark 19 and the flame dragon lash out at the firing source with a mighty roar. Unknowingly to the encroaching beast, the elf leader made a supernatural chant onto his arrow before releasing the projectile with astonishing speed. The enhanced arrow hit its mark at the big creature's left eye (as well as another 14.5mm bullet seconds later by luck), resulting in the loud cry of the wounded animal in the optical organ.

"Chert, kto-to preuspel nado mnoy so streloy v glaza!" commented a somewhat disappointed Nadaysha in sniper position on the hill.

"Tovarishch Volkova, sosredotoch'tes' na bor'be s etim drakonom!" Yuri stated as he fires another heavy round at the animal's head from the second anti-material weapon.

"ONO! YUNIRYU ONO!" Hodaro shouted for the active elf archers to target the dragon's eyes.

"Sarge, are you getting the gist on what to attack?!" asked the Chicana specialist manning the mounted M2 gun as she saw the damage on the beast's photo-receptive organ.

"I certainly do now, Rios!" Redford responded who then use the mic inside the Humvee. "To all RCT3 units, target the red bastard's eyes! Aim for the eyes, everyone!"

The JSDF lieutenant listened the info from the US soldier and look at the red giant with its wounded optical organ while helping more elves to escape. "Thank you for the advice, Sergeant Redford."

Starshina Kamarov replied back thru the radio, "Well that took you long enough, you Amerikanskiy and Yaponskiy morons!"

Very soon, the Japanese, American, Russian, and elvish warriors unleash their armaments onto to its head; stopping the big beast from moving or emitting a flame attack. This provides enough time for any surviving villagers to get away from the burning settlement and the recon visitors to help any trapped residents as much as they can. Getting tired of this predicament for several minutes, the dragon raise itself upright on its hind legs just as Haggard launched an explosive round from the M3 MAAWS/Carl Gustav recoilless rifle at it - which absolutely miss the reptilian creature and destroy a building instead. In a bit of irony, that structure was recently searched nine seconds ago by Sergeant Kuribayashi for confined elves before escorting them to safety.

The red-colored beast then breaths out a fiery column in the direction of Private Preston's outdoor position. He quickly and luckily evade the hot blaze that engulfed a few more natives that did not react in time. As Marlowe continue to ran while thinking on what to do next, the American shortly spotted a female elf archer in the path of the next fire blast from the now airborne dragon that she's attempting to aim. With little choice and time left, he grabs her by the waist and jump into the nearby water well with the blonde in his arms; praying that neither of them will die when they reach the bottom. On the way down however, their heads get whacked a few times along the sides of the reservoir structure as they tumble to the lowest foundation. The pair remain unconscious after hitting the volume of water hard, with the American serviceman taking the brunt of the impact coincidentally.

At this point, the large beast flies away and the recon team and elves slightly relax on that 'natural' calamity being gone for today; although there's now more time for the humans to help the locals recover as much as they can and treat the wounded.

Several minutes later, the Russian master sergeant called by radio. "This is Kamarov to RCT3 Actual. Should my comrades maintain overwatch position, over?"

"Well uh... Starshina, that may still be a good idea since we're busy with getting the elves back to shape. Nevertheless, you are free to come down here and help them whenever you have the time."

"Acknowledged, Itami. Out."

"Ā, kanari no hideshita," sighed the Japanese lieutenant seeing the destruction caused by the flame dragon. "Watashi wa kore o erudarou to omotta koto wa arimasen... Byōki... Futatabi nagaiai... Ā, shinpaishinaide kudasai." As Youji moves through the halfburnt settlement for some time, he then identify Redford and Sweetwater providing assistance for a native family getting their stuff. Afterwards, the JSDF officer approach the two. "Hey you guys. How's things going on your end?"

"We're still operational, sir." Redford stated.

The American private added, "Yeah, we okay here... aside from the fact that I still feel petrified about us being nearly cooked alive by a large mythologic-!"

"Zip it, Sweets. Now then lieutenant... any news from the locals here?"

The recon officer replied, "Well... from the recent dialogues with the village chief, the elves here are in the process of moving out to a new place to live."

"I see... have you contacted headquarters back at Alnus Hill about this situation yet?"

"Not yet Redford. I'm still deciding on what to..." A short pause came before Itami resume the talk. "Actually, how about I give you permission to call back to base? Is that alright, sergeant?"

"Hmm... that's fine with me, sir. I'll relay to you any new orders received from command."

"Arigatō," the recon leader said with a little smile before moving on toward the water well (without knowing anybody inside).

"You know Sarge, that hero guy seemed kinda... strange sometimes." The eye-glassed soldier quizzed.

"Well, I don't see an urgency right now on what went wrong back there. But if that kept happening to him, then I would truly demand a good explanation on why he's staring at people-burning fires while doing nothing."

"I hear ya, Sarge. It's a mystery of what that Itami guy saw within th-"

"Private... just shut up and give a helping hand to the people here!"

"Uh... sure, will do!" Sweetwater obeyed as he casually went off.

The African-American sergeant then activates his comm device, "This is Bravo One Charlie from the Third Recon Team to Mike-One-Juliet, over."

Back at the water well meanwhile, Lieutenant Youji sat on the ridge of the structure and drinking water from his canteen. Entering the scene is Shino Kuribayashi with information on paper being attached to the hand-held clipboard. "First lieutenant, I calculated that the total number of buildings here was 44; with twenty-four of them still burning. Also, the current survivors were counted at 68 while the rest were burned to death, killed by physical force, and/or missing."

The exhausted-looking JSDF leader said back in Japanese, "Ugh... assuming there were like four people per structure, the death toll is probably more than a hundred then."

"Or possibly close to two-thirds of them being wiped out."

"Shit, quite cruel to hear that. Well anyway, it looks like we should type in and print out reports on the existence of huge dragons that attack villages and their armored resistance to bullets, grenades, and smaller cannon shells."

"In paper, sir?"

"Oh... right, I should had mention my decision to allow Redford the responsibility to report this to the American dispatch officer. Just for once though; the information may not go quickly to JSDF command thru US military channels."

"Are you sure that there's enough reasoning for you to no- uh... nevermind," spoke the female soldier who then walk a few steps away until a question comes up in her head. "Hey, lieutenant otaku."

"Huh, yes Kuribayashi?"

"I got this question related to the dragon attack today."

"And what would tha-?"

"Howdy there, lieutenant hippie-sissy-liberal!" The two Japanese heard the signature Southern voice and direct their eyes toward the US Army redneck.

The JSDF commander groan when seeing the person that might have some responsibilities on the recent troubles the whole recon team had experienced (and using names that may not be retrospectively true). "Eh-uh... and a nice greeting again to the Yankee who did not get a scratch from charging into hazardous close-encounters like that big red dragon."

"Well, sorry about me not waiting for your orders while you stare at a fire that consume people."

Shino soon asked, "Anata no tame ni watashi no shitsumon ni kankei shite iru no wa, shirei-kandesu. Dōshite anata wa tatte ite, Erufu ga shinu no o matte irunode, nani mo shimasendeshita ka?"

Haggard quizzed while Itami try to contemplate in his mind. "Okay... so what did you actually said to him Miss uh... Kury?"

"It's Sergeant Kuribayashi, you American hillbilly! And the question to the commander was why did he just paused in combat."

"Oh, so you're wondering too on why he got a big rock on his shoes at such a time. My guess would be him seeing people burning as uh, fun."

Youji look at the redneck with a shock. "Fun? No, no, no, no, no! That's the wrong idea, Haggard! What actually happened back there was that the awful blaze has reminded me... of... uh... um..."

The demolition 'expert' didn't take that abrupt procrastination kindly. "Jeez, you really like to take plenty of time before acting, now do ya? Perhaps more uh... elves might had been saved if you had reacted sooner against that fire-breathing iguana."

"I-gua-na?"

The female JSDF sergeant intervened, "Even so, the scales of that giant creature has easily withstood our 7.62mm and 12.7mm bullets."

Haggard added, "Don't forget about the 5.56mm NATO rounds and 40mm grenades that didn't crack its thick hide like tank armor. Or how damn nimble that thing was. I mean... if it wasn't for that dragon being as quick as a cat, my HEAT shell would had hurt him real good!"

Kuribayashi stare at the Texan. "Did the weapon made an explosion?"

"Uh... yeah, the warhead did made a really nice boom. Too bad it had to be a building instead of the overgrown alligator."

She... was... pissed. "Oh sure... the same one I was in BEFORE BEING BLOWN UP TO PIECES SEVERAL SECONDS LATER!"

"Oh... so what was the pro-?"

"I nearly got myself killed within feet away by your reckless use of explosives to attack a hostile!"

The Japanese lieutenant hears the bickering as he about to throw a roped bucket into the well for more water to drink. He intervenes just as he throw the attached item to the bottom. "Can you two sto-?"

[Donk] "GAAAH! MY HEAD! Ow..." The echoed voice caught the attention of the three near the well.

"Huh?"

"Was that... a person?" Shino said.

"Hey! Anybody up there?! This is Private Marlowe down here and I'm with one of the village pe- I mean, elves! She's unconscious right now but the native's still breathing!" Preston shouted.

The trio quickly move to the water well and look down to see the visor-lifted American standing up and the motionless female local floating on the water, with the help of Kuribayashi's compact flashlight.

"Hey down there, new guy! I thought you were a goner when we didn't hear an answer from you. How the heck did you end up inside the well, Prez?" The redneck stated with a small smile.

"Blame the big dragon for this predicament! And do you guys got stronger ropes or metal cables to get me and the elf out?"

"Hold on, Private Marlowe! We'll help you two out of there very soon!" called the JSDF leader. Within two minutes, the human soldier and unconscious humanoid are outside the well.

The US Army private make his way toward Redford's current position while the elvish beauty is being under the care of her village companions, along with more aid from Sergeant Kurokawa. Back at Sarge's location, he just finished reporting about the encounter with elves, dragon attacks, and estimated casualties to the civilians.

"Copy that Bravo One Charlie. Other than the eyes, was the dragon injured elsewhere?" asked Mike-One-Juliet thru the radio transmission.

"That's a negative, Mike-One-Juliet. We may have dented some of its armored scales and perhaps a few holes that poked thru the wings. Still however, that thing's as dangerous as ever." Redford then looked over at Preston in arm's reach. "Hey Marlowe, you alright?"

"I'm good to go, Sarge," replied the private. "Had we scare that animal off?"

Redford snorted, "More like it decided that we're more troublesome to continue its raid. Nothing we had with us could pierce that thick ass hide, and it moved too fast for the M3 MAAWS. We might need to hit it with a tracer dart first or use a heat-seeking missile, an armor-piercing tank round, or something bigger."

"Bravo One Charlie, what's the status of the Third Recon Team, over?"

"Third Recon Team reports only minor injuries at the present time, nothing worth noting." Redford looked questioningly at Preston who shakes his head. "Due to the destruction though, I'm considering a suggestion for Lieutenant Itami to inform Coda Village of this 'Flame Dragon' before returning to base. What's our policy on refugees, ma'am?"

"At this time sergeant, the coalition forces in the 'Special Region' are not taking in refugees."

"I'm not thinking about us taking them safely through the Gate to Japan, the U.S., or any other countries; but that dragon is certain to come back and finish the job. From what I heard from the Japanese superior, the villagers are going to move to a new location. As far as I can tell however, the elves don't have enough resources to take care of everyone at this point. They could lose half their remaining numbers before setting up something permanent for themselves. I'm asking if we can escort them back to the main fort and help them organize a new village somewhere a bit nearby?" Samuel communicated.

"I'll say it again, Redford. Allied policy on refugees right now is to leave alone any of them, unless permitted by the international authorities currently on this world."

The African-American talks again. "Well in that case, can you notify one of our top officers abou-?"

"And very recently, a directive is given to all six recon units to not pick up any or all displaced individuals at all times... period!"

"Eh-, wha-, you can't be tha-!"

"Listen, sergeant! I don't like the idea of leaving them to their terrible demise any more than you do, but we have yet to further amplify our logistics through a single route for over 30,000 international soldiers. Not to mention dozens of captured prisoners and several native civilians under our care with limited supplies available for them. And most importantly, orders are orders: USA, Japan, Russia, and so on. Tell the JSDF lieutenant to warn Coda Village and report back to base ASAP. Understood?"

Redford growled, "Understood, Bravo One Charlie out."

Marlowe is stunned at what he has eavesdrop. "Sarge, are they really...?"

Samuel sighed, "Hate to say it, but that's the order to follow. I'll relay this news to the recon leader." Very shortly, he spotted the JSDF medic walking toward them while waving her right hand and slightly smiling. Redford wave back a little. "Yes, Sergeant Kurokawa?"

"I'm here to check on Private Marlowe's injury on the head, sir." The servicewoman in English said.

Preston responded, "Huh, you really think the concussion I had ju-?"

"And bringing a message from Lieutenant Itami saying that he's sorry for dropping a bucket on your head while you're in the well, private."

"Oh... well then, I accept his apology, miss. It was nice for him to find me soon than later... although I was awake from being knocked out and about to test my radio equipment when that piece of wood landed on me."

Mari chuckled a bit. "Eh, eh, oh dear. That must be a bit embarrassing for you to experience, isn't it?"

"Uh... probably it was, but I'm not going to let something that trivial slow me down."

The Sarge soon asked the lady. "Ms. Kurokawa, do you know where the recon commander is right now?"

"Actually, I do. Itami is at the front entrance of this village where he makes preparation for escorts for these people," she answered.

"Escorts you say?"

"Certainly, ser-"

"Hey Sarge, the folks here are about halfway moving out of this place! I heard from Sweats here that you're allowed to speak with Miss July for the hippie leader, right?" George said as he join in along with Terrence and gaining attention from the trio.

"That's correct, Haggard. I just got new instructions for this recon mission," the American officer stated.

"So, what's the latest course of action to take for Youji? I mean eventually, we're all going to hear the mandates from him at any time once he got them." Sweetwater spoken.

The US army officer look at the nearby soldiers and decided to reveal the news to them. "Ugh... fine then. The orders for the JSDF lieutenant are to alert Coda Village about the red dragon and then return to the main fort ASAP."

"A-S-A-P? Uh... Redford, I don't think we're heading back to base quickly as we protect the elves to safety," informed the eye-glassed private.

"Well... that's the thing: we'd been denied to bring in refugees."

"Wait... denied?" asked the redneck.

The Sarge reconfirmed, "Yes, we're not escorting the villagers as ordered by the top brass from all participating nations."

Haggard, Sweetwater, and Kurokawa are shocked by the message being received. Marlowe commented, "Looks like this international command is not popular to everyone right here, Sarge. Even Miss July wasn't thrilled to say it."

"Still, I need to have the recon leader know about this." Redford began to walk toward where the Japanese commander is currently positioned in, followed by the other four.

"Then where can they get aid without us at this time?" Terrence asked. "We can't just abandon them here on their own!"

"Like the dispatch officer said: no refugees," came the angry reply.

Instantly, the American sergeant felt a grip on his right arm by the left hand of the Japanese medic. "Sergeant Redford!" He turn his head to see an unhappy face on the lady. "Your team has fought fiercely against that dragon to help my colleagues rescue as many villagers as we could. Your actions here had made the lieutenant act quicker in order save them. We all battled hard to drive the animal away and deliver the survivors to safety. I did my best effort to successfully treat their injuries... but also counted the charred remains of their beloved members from this community. And now we've been told to leave them as is, only for the locals to end up dead?!"

"Sergeant Kurokawa, can you please let go of your hand?"

"But... all that hard work... the good we did for these people... and to see that effort being wasted? This doesn't sounded..."

"Mari... your left hand if you wouldn't mind?" Samuel moves his right arm a bit to signal the female medic to release her grip. Recognizing how difficult it is to change his mind, Kurokawa let go of her hand with frustrating feelings.

Well that could had been said for Haggard as he positioned himself in front of Redford to stop walking. "Now hold on a minute! We all know that these folks need help by the looks of it. WE can help, then why can't we do that for them?"

"Because Allied Command says we can't, that's why."

"Pffft, so we're going to follow the script like any... good... company? Well forget about that darn command! We're 'Bad Company,' and we wouldn't be here right now if we kept on obeying orders given to us!"

"Honestly Haggard, I still have some irritations on your recent shenanigans such as that racing game you had started."

The Texan noticed. "Oh... would that matter to the elves here? 'Cause if we DID stick to the same boring recon routines again, then the same isolated people might all be cooked alive to ashes by the red dragon - without somebody like us to interrupt. Besides Sarge, you know this is the right thing to do."

The African-American stood in place as he weighs in the options. On the other hand, Mari is slightly confused on the words 'Bad Company' and disobedience; leading her to wonder about these American soldiers. Before she can say anything, Redford asked her about her commanding officer other than being an otaku and a hero of the Ginza Incident.

"Hmm... regrettably sir, I have little knowledge on my leader's personal history in the self-defense force... or any record of him disobeying orders."

Redford sighed, "Well that's just typical, isn't it?"

"Still... there is a chance of him actually defending the elves out of good will, instead of strictly following the command."

After some time thinking, the Sarge scratch his helmet-covered head in frustration and then reveal his decision. "Ma'am, I'm still going to tell him about the directives." They sadly look him. "However, what comes next is up for the lieutenant to take. And if he does obey the orders to the letter, well..." The four audience stare at him with surprise. "...then it matters not to us B-Company here. We'll escort the refugees anyway and probably ask for air support, regardless of them being authorized or not. The way I see it now, it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission." The three Americans smiled a bit at the statement, although the Japanese medic slightly feel worried about the US group going to protect the elves if her commanding officer say yes to the given instructions.

Immediately, the communication devices come alive. "This is Lieutenant Itami to Sergeant Redford, do you copy?"

"Redford here, what is it?"

"I uh... need your opinions on what to do with the... natives here."

"Wait, my opinions?"

At Youji's location, the Japanese officer is with the Russian master sergeant face-to-face; whose BTR-82A has arrived at the village entrance a few minutes ago. "Yes, Kamarov here has some concerns with the escorting idea. Aside from it not being stated in our recon duties, he reasoned that providing protection to the slow-moving convoy would makes us vulnerable to future attacks from the returning flame dragon. Yet with no defenses, the elves will surely be destroyed whenever the red beast comes. And so, what can you say about this dilemma?"

It took around ten seconds for the US Army officer to reply. "Hmm... first of all sir, I received orders from the coalition to notify Coda Village about this fire dragon and then drive back to base as soon as possible. If time is of the utmost importance, then logically we would have to leave in an instant. Unfortunately, the elves would be on their own and may not survive another heavy assault. As for the choice to escort them, yeah... I can see the risks that we would put ourselves into without additional support. In the end though, it's your call as leader of this international group."

The JSDF lieutenant takes the time to congest the American's answer and the objectives for the reconnaissance mission.

"Well, have you made your decision yet leytenant?" Kamarov asked.

Soon, the Japanese commander answered through the radio for Redford. "Hey, does anyone remembered the purpose of this scouting party?"

The US military sergeant responded, "I sure do as a matter of fact. The objective was to win the trust of the local populations and gather information of this world; but you should know that as well. Why pick that question?"

"Indeed, sir. Most of us already understand the main priority," commented the Russian officer.

Youji explained, "Well then. If we leave them to die with a cold heart, would that make us any different from the Imperials who attacked Tokyo with no mercy... or even the bad deeds made by our imperial ancestors in the two World Wars?" A pause exist as the listeners contemplate that insight.

"Out of curiosity, Itami. Do you realize the atrocities that your people made before and during the Pacific Theater of the Second World War?" Dimitri asked.

"Ugh... well... back in my school years, there aren't a lot of textbooks that really discussed or acknowledged the war crimes made by the military leaders and soldiers under our name as an empire. I'm not exactly great in history stuff or really don't care about the past; but if anyone wants to point out that there's an effort in Japan to cover-up those shames, then be my guest since I could confirm it at the very least."

Several seconds of waiting later... "So where do we go, in light of this... acknowledgement?" Redford questioned.

"Hmm... we do have reporters back in our world wondering about my military's actions. Thus... if the JSDF can show that we have learned from our imperial mistakes, then guarding these people will do." Anyone listening to him is quite surprised.

"It all sound noble and all, but there's the drawback of getting burned by the dangerous flying creature if it locate us." Kamarov reminded.

"I know about that risk. Nevertheless, I can also see the long-term effect in making friendship with the locals. Now then Recon Team Three, let's resume aiding the elves." Itami ended with a smirk.

Back at Sarge's whereabouts, the sergeant slightly smile at the newer direction while the other US soldiers and Japanese medic feel glad that they can be of use for the rest of the outdoor investigation.

"Well, looks like this lieutenant liberal does have some guts to something fairly good!" Haggard exclaimed.

"Actually private, he might be more in between liberalism and conservatism." Kurokawa countered.

"Eh... whatever."

"Alright everyone, continue aiding the residents as stated by the lieutenant," commanded Samuel as the soldiers started moving. Suddenly, he realized something. "Ah dog!"

"What, Sarge?" Sweetwater wondered.

"I didn't figure out how dumb I was in not using the radio comm sooner!" Small laughter among the personnel follows the unexpected awareness.

"Anyway though, I would like to have Mr. Marlowe follow me to the medical equipment back in the JSDF vehicles," the female sergeant informed.

"Is this related to his head injury, ma'am?"

"Certainly it is, Redford. As well as recognize any symptoms showing up as he walk behind me."

The confused new guy said, "Uh... Sarge?" Haggard and Sweetwater giggled at the situation.

"Just go along with Kurokawa, Marlowe. I need to be sure that you are really in good shape when another attack happens."

"Got it, Redford." And so, Preston proceed to follow Mari for a medical check-up. Out of the blue however, he got something in his mind to say. "Kinda think about it Sarge, you did ask for permission."

The African-American glare at him, "Marlowe... just shut it."

Forty minutes later, the humanoids are closer to pack up what they could and then leave the half-ruined settlement for a new start elsewhere. The elvish leaderships have accepted the offer from the recon lieutenant to travel to the large military installations on Alnus Hill. In one area, two Humvees and the BTR vehicle were assembled and waiting for the convoy to begin.

"Anything on your end, Sergeant Redford?" asked a calm Kamarov.

"Nothing usual here so far... apart from the fuel mileages within the Humvees and the personal conversations," the American replied. "And you?"

"Same here, if not for the differences between our fuel cells inside the BTR and your hybridized vehicles."

"So how does that compared with 3/4 of fuel left inside our cars here?"

"Last time we Russians checked today was around 5/6 of methane gas contained, excluding the spare fuel cans."

Sweetwater comes in and curiously said, "So, how commercialized are these fuel cells you Russians had made?"

"First of all you Amerikanskiy, these fuel cells are not for sale and only just refiner prototypes in trial production. Secondly, these power systems are exclusive to our armies of the Motherland and a few energy sources are compatible like hydrogen and methane fuel."

Haggard enters the scene and heard some of the details. "Methane... like natural gas or farts you say?"

The starshina look at the redneck with a slight irritation. "Da... something like that you childish Yankee."

"Hmm... okay, Ruskie. Let me know if you need more fuel for your engines, 'cause I got lots of natural gases... out of my rear end!"

Sweetwater laughed, "Eh, ha, ha, ha, ha, eh, eh, yea- oh woah, woah, what - those are army rations, man!"

A recent Yuri commented, "Technically, every supply and equipment under military control are subjective to being rationed."

"Oh sure... like rationing my asshole! Ha, HA!" Johnny pronounced who has just arrived. The three foolish US soldiers are having a good laugh, although the Russians are not quite fond of this... and so does the American sergeant.

"Come on, anybody! Pull my finger! And here, here it is! And here, and here!" Haggard is moving his trigger finger as a dare for somebody to catch it with his/her own trigger finger.

Redford had enough of this silliness, "If you take one... step... farther today, I SWEAR I'm gonna shoot the three of your dumb-asses!"

Silence followed... until Terrence spoke up. "The Army take away your sense of humor when they give you your stars and stripes?"

Haggard mumbled, "Pull my trigger finger here. Come on. Come on, Sarge." He then felt a couple of knocks on his right shoulder and turn to see an annoyed Mirenda.

"George, that's enough."

Several minutes goes by and the refugee columns are now on the move. The human recon party are in escort formation, accompanying the humanoid migrants as the daytime began to transform into nighttime.

As for a different night - Back on Earth and somewhere on the U.S.-Mexico border...

A US Border Patrol station in the middle of a desert landscape and half a mile from the border walls... or what's left of them since there are extensive damages that indicated the use of explosives, powerful direct-energy weapons, unknown sonic devices, and other destructive tools done by these secret intruders rumored to roam within both the United States and Mexico for several months. Besides those heavy scars on the fabricated barriers, painted graffiti are all over the concrete remains and other broken walls along the national border as reported by many patrol units. The writings were like this:

"Billions of tax dollars on these barriers all gone down the money drain!" "5 years to build up the walls, 5 minutes to tear it down!" "Hey! Does anyone remembered the Maginot Line, Atlantic Wall, or the Berlin Wall?" "Is this place once Mexico/'Native' lands?" "A nation of immigrants trying to keep immigrants out... ironic, isn't it?" "Make America Great Again... as Bullies! ...Polluters! ...Corporate Tyrants! ...Greedy Liars! ...Murderous Racists! ...um, what's up with your corrupt 'American' Dreams?"

These and similar criticisms are repeated in many different languages and their dialects such as English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Hebrew, Irish, Italian, Korean, and a very alien one that no one on Earth has seen before. With funds to rebuild the border fabrications halted due to public backlash on the failed promises and more concentrations by all levels of government and building companies to renovate their infrastructures, the modern ruins remained standing.

Returning to the scene at the law enforcement facilities, two agents had finished their dinner meals on a table and are listening to the recent news across the globe and within their country by TV news channels (The latest hi-tech nuclear reactor in China to successful use spent nuclear waste as fuel, more electric grids in the United States to be EMP-shielded - along with ongoing installations of micro-grids powered by renewable energy in many cities and towns around the globe, newest breakthroughs in commercialization of artificial photosynthesis in nanotechnology and genetic engineering, invasion of North Korea by large unknown forces, local encounters with unfamiliar 'swarms' in several countries, number of boats missing, the price of excavated petroleum is now nine dollars per gallon, more vicious assassinations on controversial/irresponsible politicians and industrial officials, etc.). As they sat on the chairs chatting and waiting, one of their superiors alert them of an activated rescue beacon and its location. Being the only ones available at this time, the duo shortly move out of the main building and enter a 4X4 sport-utility vehicle parked on the station's motor pool. While driving to the beacon site in the quiet desert, the patrol agents passed by multiple remnants of these constructive dividers (either steel or concrete).

Sporadically in the past months though, the two men and their compatriots had also came across wreckage of pick-up trucks and disassembled corpses alongside their mangled firearms and machetes. Sometimes, there were cameras, smartphones, and/or camcorders lying around these bloody spectacles that provided clues to what has happened. Very often however, the details from the video are very... brutal - even when most of the victims were vicious criminals and/or hostile extremists. Any attempt to secure those trespassers has frequently leaded to empty results since the unknown interlopers somehow disappeared when spotted. Then there's the reports on the gruesome deaths of police officers in many areas along the border zones, who happened to be very corrupted as evident in their exposed connections and deals to various crime lords - both at home and abroad for too long. In a weird way, the patrolling guards felt somehow sympathetic on how these lawbreakers die; despite them being out of the picture for goodness sake. Additionally odd was the decreased number of migrants from Central and South America coming to the United States, which correlated to drops in criminal activities where those nefarious organizations stated to have staggering losses due to fighting with each other and the 'aliens' that intervened (the latter took the bigger piece of the pie). For the disturbing part notwithstanding, more eyewitnesses during the past several months have reported sightings of men and women wandering all over North America and described as... wrong: illuminated color lines, deteriorated skin layers, electronic sounds, hand-held light machine guns, and other abnormalities that made them more machines than people. Speculations about their identities ranges from alien robots shaped to be human-like to hopeless drug addicts converted to mindless mechanized terminators by some means.

About four miles later, the law-enforcement automobile has arrive yards away from the rescue beacon site... except for the fact that the border patrol agents slowly stop the car when they notice the people at the transmission source thru night-vision instruments: A Latin American family of four... and one cloaked figure. As the duo walk closer with their armaments, they noticed that a man, woman, boy, and girl had their mouths taped and hands and feet tied up behind them while the darken individual (standing next to the family) has a ballistic assault rifle in one hand... and a full bag on the other. Not to mention the various equipment and gears lying around the beacon structure.

"What the hell is this?" One agent questioned.

"Why not ask that shady guy over there, Jackson?" said the other officer of African-descent.

"Fine with me, Staff Sergeant Griggs."

"Huh, ain't the both of us still has some Marine spirit inside." Griggs slightly smirked.

Soon, the shrouded person walks towards them.

"Halt! Don't move! ¡Detener! ¡No te muevas!" Jackson shouted as he pointed his Remington Model 870 shotgun at the approaching character, which quickly stop by the warning.

"US Border Patrol! Drop the gun and the package now! ¡Deja caer el arma y el paquete ahora!" The dark-skinned agent with an M4A1 Carbine yelled too.

In response... the unidentified individual let go of the items and raise both hands up.

"That's it buddy. Just don't mo-"

Suddenly, a loud squeal of a pig is heard coming from the direction towards the Mexico side of the border.

"What the...?" Griggs was a bit surprised by that but quickly resume his duties. "Agent Jackson, keep an eye on him while I'd get these fellows out of their binds."

Jackson acknowledged, "Roger that."

Even so, the squealing from an animal continues to be heard... and it seems that the sound is getting louder and probably closer to the officers' location. The African American serviceman lower his carbine as he move closer to the frightened family. "No te preocupes, te sacaré de aquí!"

At the same time, the other law-enforcer still points his shotgun at the cloaked person and analyze the outfit closely. Rugged hooded jacket, bandana mask, yellow night glasses, dirtied button shirt, pants, metal... boots? Jackson recognizes something odd and look at the trespasser's face to discern more features. Just then, he felt a couple of taps on his right shoulder and turn around... only to see nothing that was behind him. The border patrol agent return his sight on the shady character, when another concealed individual instantly appear out of the blue by deactivating its invisible cloak and quickly put a hand on his mouth and a chokehold on the human officer with a forearm. As this unfolds, the first veiled encroacher effectively grab the Model 870 from the agent's hands and aim at the man without firing while the other one drag him backwards.

Simultaneously, Griggs also got captured in the same way by two more hidden intruders as he was just about to untie one of the migrant group. As the two agents are being dragged to a spot several feet walking distance from the latino family, four additional characters disable their cloaking equipment near the parents and children while the captors take their hands off from the men's mouth. "Hey! You guys just earn yourselves some serious penalties for assaulting border patrols!" The dark-skinned personnel shouted.

"What do you want from this?!" Jackson questioned these violators. Before a response however, the squealing is heard once more and much louder. The origin of the sound becomes very clear when a quad bike slowly arrive with a 650 pound feral boar trapped in a net and being towed by the rear. The driver in comparably concealed clothes exit the vehicle, disconnect the towing ropes, and haul the panicking pest in the direction of the now shotgun-wielding individual. The trapper said in a language unknown to the humans in the area and in warped male noises.

"Generally speaking, things had gone according to plan," the first interloper said in clear English though also more electronic than natural and in a male voice. Both human officers are confused by such eloquence and distortion.

"Uh... sir, are you sure you want to stick in English today?" The one with the dangerous pig asked while the animal keep on squealing.

"At the very least for these two gentlemen of the United States to understand the situation."

"Hmm... fine," acknowledged the driver while keeping in check on the rowdy creature. "Can I kill this voracious thing right now?"

The shadowy figure holding the Remington shotgun look around the location to account for his squad and the humans. "You're clear to go, operative."

"Good riddance." Soon, the dark-covered person stroll to the entangled feral hog that is trying to kick and bite as much as possible. The first thing being done is grabbing one of its hind legs with hands and in a position to... rip that limb out. The animal cries in pain as its leg is being pulled out of its body... and the shrouded individual did it with ease. As blood come out of the wound, the human-shaped figure proceed for the other hind leg of the screaming organism to tear off. The masked outsiders view the bloody scene with no emotions being shown while the humans are shock at the brutality with such strength against a menacing life-form. Once the hind limbs are gone, the killer proceed to repeat it on the now hapless creature's two front legs. After those body parts are torn away, the merciless individual then stomp hard on the boar's belly that substantially damage the rip cages and inner organs. The doomed animal yelled in agony as the slayer target the head for the death blow... which translate to pulling apart the upper skull from the lower jaw. Ultimately, the pig's head is easily removed and thus ended the torture.

The restraint migrants are outright horrified by what has happened to the once problematic organism and what fate has in store for them. For the curtailed men who were former US marines however, rage slowly begin to simmer inside their souls as the gruesomeness reminded the duo of the innocent victims remorselessly killed by the enemies in the Middle East and Afghanistan or some really bad apples within the American military forces. What's different here is that this dangerous animal was tortured to death by the bare hands of these unknown trespassers. The two all knew how hard it is to keep these prolific pest from hurting people, destroying crops, and devastating the local ecosystems that supported both of them. Still, it looked very wrong on how to properly end the life of a feral beast.

"Shit, man! That's some heavy issues you got on just one animal," stated the African-descent agent.

"An introduced animal that represent one of many legacies of the European Colonization of the Americas," the presumed squad leader noted.

"Oh... sure it is, but so does that family being taken hostage, my friend here, and myself on this land of legacies!"

The commanding individual look at him for several seconds. "Okay... do you have a quick summary about yourself?"

Griggs is puzzled by that. "Fine then, you well-mannered son of a bitch! I'm Agent Griggs of the US Border Patrol and former Staff Sergeant of the US Marine Corps. I had fought overseas for a country that has over 230 years of existence with the notion that all men are created equal! You may or may not be aware right now, but my ancestors were once slaves to the Southern plantations before the inception of the grand republic. In the many decades since then, the issue of freedom and slavery for my kind had been hotly contested, which culminated to the American Civil War where escaped slaves and freedmen join the fight to end that 'peculiar' institution. We succeeded, but soon faced the challenges of finding economic opportunities and the racism of former masters for over a century. And yet we still fought for the loyalty of our country, albeit the Taming of the Wild West, Spanish-American War, the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Civil Rights Movements, and so on! America today is a better nation than it was in its previous history, and yet problems related to our blackness keep on coming. Still, African-Americans like myself and my friend Jackson continues to rise up and confront that sin of our nation while upholding its noble principles!"

Jackson corrected, "Actually Griggs, I'm half African and ha-"

"Alright, alright! That's good enough," the squad leader intervened. "So... what are your questions again?"

Both the captives are surprised again. Griggs asked, "Alright you polite bastard. So what did this poor family do to you to deserve being tied up?!"

"Nothing really; they just got lost in the inhospitable wilderness as the illegal migrants travel to the 'Land of the Free' for a better future. My squad detected the bewildered fellows for some time before taking them to the nearest rescue beacon, which is how we got here."

"That's... uh... a strangely nice thing to do... for wanderers who bound people against their will and beating up tough animals to a gory pulp," said Jackson.

The character holding the Model 870 resumed, "What can I say? These four-legged pests are quite troublesome with their destructive habits on every environment that they reside in."

"So does Argentine and Fire ants, Asiatic carps in the Midwest rivers, Burmese pythons in Florida, and other invasive species that I had no time to talk about."

"Eh, eh... true indeed. Nevertheless, that execution on that boar tonight was primarily done as a show of force."

"Wait... show of force?" voiced the former staff sergeant.

"Correct... oh, I should have mentioned using the confused family as an opportunity to gain your attentions on our capabilities."

"Well, you certainly succeeded in making us aware... jackass," Jackson remarked. "Speaking of strengths, how are you guys able to crush the thick hides of the feral hog without a sweat involved?"

The unknown leader signal one of his subordinates to grab a battery-powered lantern and hand it to 'him.' Once obtaining the light device and turn it on, the commanding figure place it on the ground and then remove the yellow night glasses to reveal the 'eyes' while in a crouching position. As soon as the restricted pair analyze the exposure carefully, it didn't take long to realize that those 'eyes' are more like optical camera lenses than real biological organs; and are surrounded by metal pieces akin to being... a machine. "You could say that we're not biological human to begin with," answered the synthetic being who put back the glasses and stand up.

"Now that's... just... FUBAR," Griggs exclaimed. "So who the hell made you then?!"

"Honestly, that's a long and complicated story to tell and you don't have much time here to listen the countless details that were thousands of years in the making."

"Thousands... of years?"

"Yes, and in a different universe with a different Earth."

The two Americans are dumbfounded on what that revelation means. Unexpectedly, they smell odors of something being... cooked. It turns out that the pork killer is now heating up every body parts of the dead hog by the use of an energy weapon in microwave setting. "Hey boss! Haven't they seen the trophies inside the bag yet?"

'Trophies?' thought the U.S. officers still in the strong grips of the mechanical captors. In a reply, the robotic squad leader walk to where the bag fall down, pick it up, and move back to the human agents. Once there again, the conscious machine uses its hand to take out four boxes from the fabric container one-by-one. They're about the adult-size of a human head and oddly enough... each got a different name and yet share a name at the same time: Ryco, Malina, Carlos, and Vida of the Escadon family.

Jackson quickly recognize one of the names. "Ryco Escadon? Why named a box after a high-value lord from the Mexican drug cartels?"

To answer that, the same commanding intruder open the box with the said name and uses both hands to take something out in the open... revealing a human male head already decapitated from its anatomy and showing signs of torment. "To make things easier for recognizing the eliminated targets."

The border patrol servicemen are shocked at the unfortunate face that used to be a criminal leader. "Fuck... is that really Mr. Escadon?" Griggs questioned.

"Yes, it's the real deal. His identity had been verified with your law enforcement databases and beheaded... by me." The mechanical character then calmly put it back inside the box and firmly close the container. Immediately afterwards though, 'he' opens another box with the name Malina.

Jackson interrupted, "Who's head... was that?"

The bipedal construct resume by lifting the body part resembling a woman of beauty... with a rather large, scorched hole through her cranial forehead. "This here... was Ryco's wife. A big shame that she didn't forfeit her love with him sooner... before beating the lady to death like her husband when we showed up."

That grisly fact increasingly appalled the former marines who still maintained the respects for the rules of war on protecting unarmed civilians. Once again, the female head is placed back into the second box. As the other two containers are about to be open, Griggs speak up. "Don't you ever dare open those last two!" The synthetic leader paused for a moment, processing the indications from the agents that they must have encounter such nasty devastation on children during their time in war zones; and they don't want to be in a very bad mood when the servicemen see that shit-storm again.

Before making an action however, approaching sounds are heard in seemingly all direction. Sure enough, four fully armored tracked vehicles arrive while surprisingly making little noises. They looked like modified Bradley Fighting Vehicles in the eyes of the perplexed humans, but these tan-colored transport 'tanks' were designated as M118 Fastbacks (each armed with a 30mm auto-railgun for the main turret, mounted rocket pod holding three high-explosive projectiles, coaxial repeating plasma gun, and an AI-controlled dual shotgun turret on the rooftop to deal with infantry and even incoming missiles). After stopping, their rear hatches open down and armored soldier-like units are coming out with energy weapons and heavier armaments. These humanoids have mixed tan and gray color on their armor... along with plenty of clear signs that they are not truly organic. As this troop deployment happens, the covert leader then take the four boxes back into the bag without showing agitations - if any. "Looks like you gentlemen are spared today from seeing more... results of our controversial actions. Squad... release them!"

By that command, the clandestine group gradually let go of the Americans and untie the imprisoned family with care. Oddly enough, the duo are given back their weapons when they're free from the robotic grips as well as the parents and two children handed back their travel belongings. In haste, the agents head for the Latino immigrants to have them escort to the Border Patrol station under their care. "Vamos, salgamos de aquí amigos," Jackson recommended while beginning to walk to the SUV with no shots fired so far.

In an instant, three twin duct-fan aircraft (known as AH-80 Blackfoot gunships equipped with two plasma guns in the nose turrets, two quad-missile racks containing thermobaric warheads, and two rocket pods concealed inside the bottom hulls) flies above the area and direct their search lights attached to the nose turrets all over the ground. "Relájese todo el mundo, relajarse! Los helicópteros y los combatientes en el suelo no harán daño mientras los humanos no nos ataquen de ahora en adelante. So calm down and don't retaliate!" informed the shady 'android' for the alerted earthlings.

Jackson mumbled to his African-American friend as both resume walking to the patrol car, "Can that sneaky robot literally say such assurance after showing us their brutal capabilities?"

Griggs responded, "Paul, we're outnumbered and outgunned here; and we cannot have this family get caught in the middle of a gunfight."

The US border patrol officers and the migrants finally reach the sport-utility vehicle; and immediately put their possessions and then themselves inside. Unexpectedly, the humans soon sighted a mechanical behemoth three yards in front of them. It looked similar to an M1 Abrams tank and its variants, except for the blue circular lights on each side of the vehicle's four 'legs' (where there are actually levitation generators being enclosed) and the things yet unknown to the humans: high-powered plasma cannon, co-axial energy gun, two AI-controlled dual shotgun turrets, one concealed 25mm automatic grenade-launching turret, nano-enhanced composite armor, advanced battery system for five months before recharge, hidden high-efficient solar cells, high-tech hydrogen fuel cells, AI core in the 'driver' section, its title as M5A3 Blackhead, etc. The SUV's occupants are quite anxious about that dangerous vehicle without driving for a while. The synthetic squad leader walk to the right side of the car while still holding the bag. "Before leaving, do you officers wanted this bag of cartel heads here?" the artificial being has asked.

An irritated Griggs replied at the absurdity, "How about dropping the dead at our station's front door by yourself?"

"Hmm... fair enough."

"Huh?"

Radio broadcasts in the SUV interrupted further attempts on the strange meaning. "Watch Commander Vasquez to Agents Griggs and Jackson, report!" The border patrol personnel are not sure if it's a good idea to answer the call while in the mist of potential hostiles. "Griggs! Jackson! Come in!"

"Just answer your boss, gentlemen. You people are allowed to live through this night at least," stated the 'robotic' figurehead.

"Matt! Paul! Please respond!"

The mixed-ethnic personnel finally replied, "Jackson here, Commander Vasquez. Griggs and I had picked up migrants of a father, mother, and their son and daughter from the rescue beacon site. They may nee-"

"Yes, yes, we can provide their necessities when they come to the station! But we got more urgent problems on our plate here!"

"How... urgent?"

"Multiple unknowns at our east, west, and south side! And they're definitely not drug cartels judging by the descriptions vehicles that looked like modern battle tanks, IFVs, military trucks, SPGs, and even attack helicopters! I'm just glad that not a single shot was fired from both sides when these unidentified contacts halt their advance within 8 yards away! Rendezvous back to our facilities here ASAP for debriefings and then form a plan with others on what to do next! Do you two copy?!"

"We copy that, lieutenant!"

Five seconds of pause later... "Good, but we not in the Marine Corps anymore, Jackson. Vasquez out!"

Nonetheless, the wheeled car needs to deal with the Blackhead tank in the way (which has now transformed its four armored hover drives into... legs... standing with solid contact on the ground instead of hovering). The covert operator said once more, "I got one more message for all the people of North America today; regardless of nationalities, religions, hierarchies, and the moral spectrum of who's virtuous or not."

"Oh really... you self-righteous barbarian. And what would that be?" Griggs asked.

"Adapt with wisdom and integrity, or die with self-deceit and vanity."

The African-American was puzzled by that logic; considering on what he had just experienced. "That sounded more like a threat from a robotic killer."

"It's more relevant as a lesson from a powerful force... of nature."

"Wait... seriously?! You yourselves being a force of mother nature?"

"Not biologically speaking from your perspectives, but our formidable technologies and intellects are in parallel with great natural forces like mega quakes, super volcanoes, category-five hurricanes, solar flares, asteroid impacts, viral outbreaks, and... oh yes, humanity itself."

Jackson couldn't believe what was stated. "Whoa, whoa, hold on! Do you really think that our creations like the border walls are made natural?!"

"Perhaps... considering that the human species are products of the natural forces on this living planet. I may also add in the mighty changes you humans had made on this lonely... blue dot like the hundreds of skyscrapers in many cities, millions of miles of paved roads, the vast deforestation in every forest across the globe, high concentrations of carbon dioxide gases due to high consumption on fossil fuels, huge amount of garbage that poisoned... well... practically everything and everyone living on earth; and the thousands of... nuclear warheads that can annihilate this only home in the Solar System by a hundred folds."

"Uh... are you done being sarcastic? 'Cause two-thirds of them are very serious problems for us to resolve," Griggs said.

"Yes, I'm done; and it would be a huge disgrace for this beacon of democracy if your elected leaders, corporations, and military commanders make significant mistakes out of pure selfishness and false dreams."

"Hey, enough talks! Can you now let us go?" Silence was received. "Uh... please?"

As if by request, the bipedal construct signal the legged tank and other AIs to allow this Border Patrol vehicle to drive in an unblocked pathway. The armored vehicle soon proceed to... 'walk' to the side of the rugged road for an opening. "You're clear to go, Americans. Good luck." Immediately, the SUV drive on the unpaved route at moderate speed towards their base. While moving on the road, the occupants pass by more military units of tanks, IFVs, hovering aircraft, armored cars, self-propelled artillery tracked vehicles, and troops dispersed in the hundreds on both sides of the undeveloped pathway.

Back at the rescue beacon however, two commandeered and modified pickup trucks enter the area. "Sir, need a ride?!" exclaimed one of the humanoid drivers.

The undercover squad leader nodded and head to the nearest truck with the bag of beheaded brain-cases. "Didn't show them the decapitated heads of the criminal's children though," said the figure as he put the non-rigid container in the small back section behind the front passenger seat.

"If that were to happen, then we'd have had a much harsher verbal exchange with those servicemen that were supposed to be heroic peacemakers of this world." The driver commented while several stealth aircraft of multi-role Stalkers and Razorbacks fly above them.

"Sure, and probably be trapped within their anger for months on ends." At the moment, the whole squad are sitting on the trucks' open cargo bays.

"That could happen... but let's move on then. US Border Patrol station five miles away, yes?"

"Of course," answered the passenger while the car engines are instantly turned on. Still, he noticed the driver interact a high-tech gadget connected to the radio system. "Aren't we moving soon?"

"I know, sir. Let me... oh, good! A nice playlist of musics to activate... now." Appearing on the digital screens of both radio and hand-held device is a song.

* * *

 **Now Playing:**

 **Edwin Starr - War (1970)**

* * *

"You got to be joking?" said the robotic figurehead in a confounded posture.

 _ **War, huh, yeah**_  
 _ **What is it good for**_  
 _ **Absolutely nothing**_  
 _ **Uh-huh, uh-huh**_

"This song has a very good rhythm, doesn't it?" commented the driver.

"Yes... an anti-war song expressed during the US military involvement in Vietnam!"

 _ **War, huh, good god**_  
 _ **What is it good for**_  
 _ **Absolutely nothing, listen to me**_

"So?"

"Then why pick that musical art when our countless military buddies are being deployed on this continent... in mass?!"

"Uh... just ignore the music, sir. The people here wouldn't mind."

"I would certainly give concerns on the ones getting the short straws in fiascos: the inhabitants of North America or us!"

"Hmm... let me start driving the truck, alright?"

In an instant, the two cars move towards the law-enforcement area at a mediocre speed as their mechanical armies, aircraft, and airborne armored warships spread out along the border zones on both Mexican and United States lands in the thousands. Not taking in the account of the other alien forces all over the Americas... or the vintage song against past military miscalculations continued to play out from the automobile's radio.

 _ **(War) It ain't nothing but a heartbreak**_  
 _ **(War) Friend only to the undertaker  
Ohhh, war, it's enemy to all mankind  
The point of war blows my mind**_  
 _ **War has caused unrest**_  
 _ **Within the younger generation**_  
 _ **Induction then destruction**_  
 _ **Who wants to die, aaaaah, war-huh, good god y'all  
What is it good for  
Absolutely nothing  
Say it, say it, say it  
**_

* * *

 **A/N: So yeah... expect more parts of future story chapters to be... 'ruined' when compared to the canon storyline of GATE: Thus the JSDF fought there.  
**

 **Also - the lyrics of "War" belongs to songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong.**

 **1-24-2018 Edit: Elvish name changes.**


	4. Chapter 4

**As a reminder again - I do not have ownership of GATE:JSDF; Franchises of Battlefield, Command & Conquer, Call of Duty, Saint's Row, Tom Clancy's, Starcraft, Borderlands, Ace Combat, Metal Gear; and elements from ****Frontlines: Fuel of War,** **Warhammer 40000, Jurassic Park,** **and Kill La Kill.  
**

 **(Quite a mouthful, isn't it?)**

* * *

One week previously outside a town several miles from the east side of the Dumas mountain ranges under a nightly sky….

" _:Wait… what do you mean the slaves are all gone?!:"_ asked a person in camouflage armor and clothes that are similar to the other combat outfits worn by four others accompanying him. As well as being surprised by the revelation.

" _:That's what said in clear sincerity!:,"_ said a handcuffed Imperial official who was once traveling with escorts to the newly reopened quarries… until the ghost-like beings shot the guards and captured the Saderan/Sanderan. " _:Thousands of slaves worked and sometimes died there for countless years. But four months ago - on that day in our routine mining inspections for the Empire, my associates and I had found the places to be completely empty of acquired labor from our conquests; not even a dead body of them being discovered! All that's left were the intact corpses of slavers, guards, mine owners, and messengers that somehow didn't warn back the nearby Imperial settlements!:"_

" _:Did your pals died by big swords?:"_ wondered the supposed leader of the undercover team.

" _:I seriously don't think such weapons can leave behind a big… bloodless mess. There were throats already slitted open, necks snapped, heads that had been stabbed in the back, suffocation in their beds, and many signs of an assault that was impossibly executed… in silence and no struggle.:"_ The Imperial stated with a horrified look.

" _:Like a large-scale assassination?:"_

" _:I cannot say what really happened back then. Now how can I make you outsiders release me?! I got plenty of money for ransom, maybe a piece of land as a bargain? Or a house of female slaves for your pleasures?:"_ An attempted appeal by the apprehended Falmarian before the covert operative reactively knocked him out to unconsciousness with a hard fist.

"Damn… Rorke. Now there's less certainty on this bastard to remember the poor ladies and their identities when he wakes up," One of the black ops soldier with a rank of lieutenant said.

"I'd be more concerned on the clues this 'roman' has on kidnapped people from our Earth, Walker. Even so… it roused me to think that these so-called 'civilized' people can continue having thoughts of stealing materials and people as their own; despite witnessing absolute carnage by modern warfare or their 'Achilles' heels' to the Imperial economy."

"Which begs the question of really teaching them to be more… humane or not," Walker noted.

Within a minute, a Blackhawk helicopter arrived at the rendezvous site to pick up the ghostly warriors and the HVT. "This is Dagger-Three-Four to Ghost Four Actual. Get ready to board inside."

Coda Village in today's daytime morning.…

It's another regular day for these villagers; tending their agricultural activities for many years. If excluding a visit by strange people in green colors yesterday, the rain in the early morning, and a donkey-driven cart led by an old mage and his apprentice moving casually toward the settlement for supplies; which was done once a month since they moved to a different place on the outskirt of Coda several years ago for lessons and studies on the natural world. As the mages enter the village, the settled inhabitants friendly greet the two like they did many times before. On the way though, the duo stop on the piazza due to the presence of the village chief.

"Good morning, Master Kato and Lelei! Here for the usual resupply?"

"It sure is, Chief! Having a good day for your folks as well?"

"As peaceful as any other past day for our village. Although…"

"Hmm?"

" ...a strange group of travelers came to our settlement yesterday."

"Oh… how so?"

"Well, they came to this place by uh… green metal carriages that were able to move without horses, somehow. After arrival, these visitors wore strange clothes and armor in green color and a different language unknown to us too as they exit the unknown objects. We were afraid at first on the unexpected… guests, but eventually we relaxed since the strangers stated themselves as friendly humans of the Jay-Ess-Dee-Eff or Japan Self Defense Force with no desire for conquest; despite the broken dialogues in our native tongues. I may also add in their golden skin tone and slanted eyes in both men and women of these outsiders."

"Huh, women you say?"

"Yes, two of them being nice ladies it seem. Overall however, the strangers only requested knowledge of the lands and any sign of slave caravans passing by. Thus we told them what we knew; including the elvish village within the Coan Forest. Afterwards, they left without any demands of tributes."

"Really? Sounded as if these foreigners were much more gener-"

"Chief, chief!" shouted a male villager running toward the head of the settlement.

"Yes Irae, what is?" asked the village leader.

"The Men in Green are coming back!"

"Oh, is that true?"

"Yes Chief, they're still far away but their horseless carriages are moving fast in our direction!"

"Come down, come down my friend. We all shouldn't panic about these good visitors. Let them come and learn their new intentions."

"Alright sir," said the man.

"Hmm… I never expected this interesting event to happen," commented the grey-haired wizard.

"Same here, Master. But we do have our list of supplies to buy," reminded the platinum/silver-haired young lady. Without warning, they heard a strange noise coming in.

"Uh… what is that sound?" the old sage wondered.

"That must be the horseless wagons of the people in green clothing, I presumed." Sure enough, three Japanese military vehicles are within sight of almost everyone living in the settlement. Soon, the recon automobiles parked in the middle of the outdoor plaza and drawing attention of the residents' curiosities about their return.

One man exit the Toyota vehicle, which happens to be Lieutenant Youji Itami holding a translation book and a notebook with drawings. Kato and Lelei are looking at the foreign person for the first time. Reciprocally, the JSDF crew and a US Army soldier notice the duo wearing outfits that are different than the regular inhabitants in this settlement with wonders. The village leader said, "Well Sir Itami, this is an unexpected surprise to see your people again."

The Japanese commander replied with help from the dialogues written in the native language on the book being held by one hand, "Eh, eh… apology for our presence. Got important message for your village."

"Oh… then what is the message?"

"Ahh… mite mimashou… We went to forest… met humans of village…"

"Uh, no. Not humans, elves right? We did tell you about the elvish community there."

"Oh… hai," muttered the JSDF otaku who take notes on different words on elves and humans. "Hmm… large bird came… burned down village," Youji stated with some dread as he shows a good drawing of a dragon burning down buildings.

The nearby natives are aghast at what was heard and the hand-drawn art made the point. "Burned… by a dragon?" uttered the local chief who then take the drawing for a closer look. "By the gods... this is an ancient dragon… and a flame beast on top of that!"

The lieutenant continued while recording new meanings, "Um… many burned… we fought back… dragon leave… " Several villagers catch the fact that these strangers had fought and survived an encounter with a fire dragon. "But no damage… and still dangerous." Well… there goes that optimism of being totally safe.

The disappointed chief replied, "Uhh… well, at least you people survived and gratefully told us of this calamity." He soon turn his sight to his fellow neighbors nearby. "Hey, alert everyone! Send messengers to the surrounding areas too!"

"Sir Itami, isn't it!" Kato spoke before the JSDF officer can reply to the number of survivors.

"Uh… yes?" Youji responded at the old man without knowing him as a mage.

"Are you telling us the truth?"

"Um… yes."

"Really? Because I anticipated this flame dragon to be awake in the next fifty years!"

"Eh, ah - nani?!" The lieutenant is confused by that statement due to the apparent suspicion from the elderly person... or the fact that this fire-breathing animal was supposed to be asleep for another five decades.

"As I suspected, you liars are about to lure us to a trap under the pretense of an ancient dragon still napping in reality! You had planned to steal all of our resources when we're all in a false sense of security!"

"Ah, uh, uh - wait, wait! Fire dragon is uh… real!"

"Like that's gonna work me again! Now, let me teach you a les-" Out of the blue comes a tremendous shaking of the ground for seconds, follow by a deep roar-like sound. The tremors causes damage to the structures of the settlement and terrifies many people and animals on the land in sync to the unknown noise.

XXXXXX

At the not-so-distant location of the elvish convoy, the American and Russian escorts are stunned by such phenomenons as some of them are brought to the terrain. The elves are equally shocked by this event as well. "Shit! What the hell was that?!" Redford concerned as he and anybody else get up.

"Is this what an earthquake feels like!?" Haggard shouted.

"Does an earthquake also make a roaring sound!?" Sweetwater asked.

"Short-lived but big vibrations… thundering noises… well that could have sounded like a big bomb being detonated!" Gat commented.

"Oh Jesus, why didn't I think about explosions sooner! But where the bomb clouds then?" said the redneck.

"Comrades! We may have found the source of such mystery," Kamarov exclaimed while Nadaysha uses her sniper scope to spot the cause.

"Where?!" requested the US military sergeant moving towards the Russians.

"Vot, take a look at that mountain range over there." The starshina give the digital binoculars to the African-American soldier and pointed at the very distant series of mountains known locally as the Dumas range.

The Sarge with his usual army cap, instead of the enclosed helmet, view the far away source through the optical gadget. At maximum magnification, Redford can see the mountainous landscape… and the seemingly massive cloud debris that engulfs a sizable portion of the sierra as it goes upward. "Dear god… is that a volcanic eruption?"

"That's a good guess for now, comrade Redford." While the two officers observed the far-flung occurrence, Sweetwater and Haggard walk to where the US Army sergeant is. At the same time, Mirenda and Oleg check on the status of the humanoid refugees.

"RCT3 Actual to Redford and Kamarov, come in!" Itami's voice was heard through the communication devices.

The Russian master sergeant quickly responded, "Kamarov to RCT3 Actual, all units are still operational."

"Uh… anyone hurt by the shaking?"

"Negative, we're still alive. The convoy seemed relatively okay but a few of us are examining any form of damage to be sure."

"Oh… well that's a relief!"

"By the way Itami, have you completed the warning for the Coda villagers?"

"Uh… almost done but the tremors and the weird sound got them really scared before finishing up the dragon reminder."

"Well sir, I think it's sufficient enough to alert the locals there. Additionally, I would recommend your group to leave the town right away and resume the escort for the elves. Ponyal?" Half a minute later… no answer. "RCT3 Actual, did you hear me loud and clear? We currently behind enemy lines and do not have incoming friendlies to help more of the natives, let alone the elvish convoy. Please respond!" Still, there's no reply for several seconds. He then look at the American officer and said, "Serzhant Redford, give it a go."

And so, the Sarge activates his communication device. "Redford to RCT3 Actual, are we still escorting the elves to safety?"

Youji surprisingly answered, "Um… yes, we still do! My team and I will come back to the convoy… eventually. RCT3 Actual out!"

Terrence commented, "Does anybody find it strange at what the JSDF lieutenant has said?"

"Sure! Makes me wonder what is he hiding from us," added the Texan.

"Whatever! We still got a mission to do," recalled the African-American.

Nadaysha noted, "Albeit not authorized by command at the main base."

Redford sigh at the situation until he sees Rios and Kirrlov coming towards him and the starshina. "So, any news on the refugees?"

The Chicana soldier answered, "Well Sarge, everybody looked all healthy despite being a bit scared of the shaken earth."

"As well as the good news on their 'spirit' magic," Oleg stated further.

"And what would that be, comrade?" Kamarov wondered like most of the soldiers.

Johnny guessed, "Killing that red, scaly fucker for good?"

The big Russian clarified, "Net, Corporal Gat. Their magical abilities are not strong enough to crack the dragon's heavy armored scales. But during the escort 'operation' before reaching Coda Village again, the humanoids have managed to made several enchantment that can conceal themselves from dangers while on the move towards safety."

"Like an invisibility cloak you say?" Sweetwater stated.

"Da, similar to that and the elves were already underway to put those spells on all their convoy."

"It's the same things I heard from the refugees while inspecting and talking to them for injuries… and curiosity," added the female American.

"Hmm… Rios, Sweetwater, help me with the translations as I personally talk to the elf leaders for reconfirmation on their… 'stealth' magic," Redford ordered.

"Same goes for you Serzhant Kirrlov, as I want to know how true their claim is," said the Russian starshina. In a short time, the two officers and their translators meet the heads of the elves for verification on magical 'camouflage.' Ultimately, all the humanoid figureheads confirm that they're now able to use spirit magic to hide themselves in their migration. Therefore, the elves are unlikely in need for protection from the foreign soldiers as they travel. The coalition personnel and the elvish refugees wish each other good luck and part ways… with different objectives. "Teper' davayte posmotrim, chto proiskhodit v Coda," Kamarov announced as he and his fireteam enters back inside the BTR-82A.

"Is everyone in Bravo One Charlie all set?!" Samuel reminded. The members of 'Bad Company' responded to the trivial inquiry… except for one. "Preston? Marlowe?! Did you hear me the-... oh goddammit, I didn't realize that he's still with the Japanese medic!" That resulted in chuckles in both Americans and Russians.

"Well, I wonder how the fucking new guy is doing over there!" Johnny Gat noted.

"Ugh… let's just go to the Coda settlement, will ya?!" And so, the Humvee and the APC immediate propel towards the human village where the JSDF group are actually helping the settlers to evacuate.

At the Dumas mountain range however, the clouds of dust virtually dissipate to reveal an upright massive structure that had taken out large chunks of the rocky landscape. This monstrous craft of makeshift metal plates and multiple rocket engines is estimated to have enough space to contain one hundred thousand people.

Or in this case…

Orks…

…and Gretchins coming out of this improvised vessel to build structures, vehicles, and other equipment for the upcoming… Waaagh.

Several minutes forward at Coda Village….

The local people there are in a frantic state as they pack up their possessions onto animal-driven wagons and carts. Simultaneously, the Japanese unit give assistance to them by Itami's commands while the US Army private remain inside the Toyota car for proper recovery as stated by Sergeant Kurokawa. As for Kato's accusation on the self-defense group… it has been mainly toned down due to the sudden physical events, presence of a female 'apothecary,' and visual evidences of photos and videos from a few privates that luckily captured the red-colored beast attacking and the aftermath. So here they are, moving the donkey-driven cart rather composed in the direction of their outskirt residence to pack up their property items.

The magic-using apprentice commented, " _:Those life-like paintings are truly astounding, Master.:"_

" _:Quite accurate, I had to admit. But still… why now? The Flame Dragon should have been hibernating for another fifty years, instead of interrupting our supply run!:"_

" _:Honestly, both of us don't know the cause.:"_ After some time just outside the village boundaries while heading toward their residential house, the silver haired mage ask a question. " _:Master, what are we going to load onto the cart?:"_

" _:Isn't it obvious? We're bringing in everything with us!:"_

" _:And risk damaging the wagon permanently?:"_

" _:Eh…:"_ Kato El Altestan is at a lost on the implications for several long seconds. " _:Hmm… then what do you suggest in that case?:"_

" _:Well, we can focus on the most valuable and rare books and scrolls first. Following that would be other possessions necessary in the long term and hard to obtain. The rest can be left behind if there's no room to spare, less we make the wagon too heavy to move.:"_

" _:Huh… sounded like a good plan, Lelei!:"_ Yet the elderly sage didn't get a gratification from her, but he did notice her paying attention to something else. The bearded wizard look at the direction of what caught her observation and notice a trio of carriages also in green color… but merely outside Coda Village. " _:Hmm… more Men in Green coming?:"_

" _:Maybe so, teacher. But first comes our important belongings.:"_ Lelei La Relani reminded.

Later on, the magic-users are nearing the edge of the small wilderness that surrounded their dwelling when they then heard a strange noise similar to the horseless wagons of the green-covered visitors. The mages turn their sights to the source and see a strange vehicle coming toward them at a medium speed equivalent to a trotting horse. It happens to be an American Humvee with its machine gun in safety lock and Haggard, Rios, and Kirrlov inside. For starters, Specialist Mirenda did receive permission from Redford to assist the academic pairs spotted by herself. Oleg joined in with her out of intuition and curiosity on those two that looked like wizards. As for George… well, he decided to be the driver and keep track of this Russian soldier for any suspicious behavior - excluding himself though. Anyhow, the automobile witnessed by Kato and Lelei is slightly different than the previous three driven by the Japanese. As it get closer to them, the speed of the Humvee gradually slow down to a crawl but not a stop.

" _:Hello there! You wouldn't mind us helping you evacuate?:"_ Mirenda said in the Sanderan language.

Both of the master and apprentice are a bit surprised by the voice of another woman inside such mobile contraption. In a moment though, they allow these foreigners to assist them as much as possible. Upon arrival at the destination, the magicians immediately start the transfer of their important stuff to their wooden transport… and what a great pile of numerous items that were so compacted within such a rather small house by 'modern' standards; as the three recon soldiers soon find out while providing help inside.

Haggard noted, "Holy… mother of a uh… hoard. Now that's a lot of uh… stuff in this tiny place."

"Si, Hags. Kind of think about, how about you go back to the Humvee and warn us on cargo overload as they put their belongings on their wagon?" the Chicana service woman suggested.

"Well… why not! I'm not super-good at reading something that kinda looks like Spanish to me!"

At some point during the packing process, Lelei became curious enough to ask something from these strange 'legionaries.' " _:Excuse me, madam. I am interested on where you people came from.:"_

"Um…" Mirenda is a bit confused for some time. " _:Do you mean where we were born… or how we came to your lands?:"_

The slightly perplexed student answered, " _:Both will do.:"_

The female US Army soldier somewhat hesitated until Oleg respond to the young adult's curiosity. " _:My birthplace was a motherland known as_ Russia _.:"_

"Russia?" said the silver-haired lady.

Specialist Rios clarified, " _:Yes young lady. I, on the other hand, was born in the state of_ California _.:"_ Lelei nodded on the names of the two 'states.'

Haggard, getting the gist of it, then butted in the dialogue. "And I'm a proud Texan from the US of A!"

" _:Uh… what did he say?:"_ The magical apprentice didn't understand the foreign language.

"Eh, eh… ahem." Mirenda explained in understandable words, " _:That rural man came from Texas, for your knowledge."_

" _:Oh… I see, three different lands. Then how did you-?:"_

" _:Lelei, my pupil! We still have valuable things inside to sort them out. Thus, I appreciate that you resume the effort to help this old geezer here,:"_ Kato requested.

" _:Sure thing, Master. Returning to the house right away.:"_

It took almost an hour to get all of the most important possessions being placed within the cart… which also makes the donkey-drawn vehicle quite heavy. The redneck noticed a growing issue of the wooden wheels slowly sinking into the ground and warn everybody in English. Lelei still doesn't know the meaning but she did spotted the sunken wheels due to the gestures from Haggard.

" _:Master, the wagon has its wheels embedded to the dirt. Perhaps it's time to leave since the most crucial belongings were already gathered and the impressions on the earth are still shallow.:"_

" _:Ugh… by the gods, seriously?:"_ groaned the gray-haired sage who recently put more stuff on the collected pile. After some considerations, he made a decision. " _:Hmm… alright my young student, we'll go with your recommendation immediately.:"_ Soon, a fibrous blanket securely covers the possessions on the cart and the magical scholars give their thanks to the soldiers for the assistance as they're about to leave.

After the mages start moving their vehicle, Rios and Kirrlov head towards the Humvee when they realize something: where's Haggard? Answering that conundrum are noises coming from the magicians' former home, which draws attention to the coalition personnel.

Back to the mages on their wagon in motion meanwhile, the elderly mage exhale in displeasure. " _:Aw… I can't believe on the goods not being picked up back at the house.:"_

" _:I wouldn't worry about those short-term, non-essential belongings, Teacher. Though I still find it peculiar on the 'Green people's backgrounds; like the kingdoms those three soldiers said to came from.:"_ The platinum-blonde lady remarked.

" _:Same here. I mean… that dark elf has a nice face for being a female soldier. Although her bosoms were not as attractive as the bigger curves of your older sister! Eh, eh, ah, ah!:"_

The young apprentice is quite annoyed by her mentor's perverted uh… wishful thinking… again. Reactively, she summons her magic to create a head-sized snowball while the old man continue to giggle… and then smack it onto his face. Altestan groan at what was done.

" _:Lelei… you really need to be aware that magic is a sacred responsibility and of the real consequences of such abuses.:"_

" _:You should also be more careful with using jokes that can disrupt human relationships… especially those with sexual connotations.:"_

" _:Ugh… look, I'm not the person that I used to be when I was younger. I sometimes wish I wouldn't be this tired when growing older by the years.:"_

" _:Quite the contrary, Master. You're as tough as the hardiest insect ever to exist in the natural world.:"_

" _:Now that's just rude, my apprentice.:"_

" _:Well, this is how you raised me as your student.:"_

As they enter Coda Village, the academic pair observe many families removing their possessions from the houses to the carts, satchels, saddlebags, and other containers. Additionally, they saw some of the 'Men in Green' assisting the villagers for the evacuations. Nevertheless, the mages talk about the wisdom of either taking with lots of personal items or just flee to safety when dealing with rampaging ancient dragons. Few minutes later, their cart merge with a growing convoy passing through the village. Suddenly, an overloaded cart broke its axle and crash down to the middle ground of the settlement. Made matters worse by the hoofed mammal reacting to it in fright, which evidently throw the passengers out in the air and themselves hit the dirt rather hard. Every wagon behind the accident halted, including the magicians' vehicle that is one cart away from the unfortunate event.

" _:Master, should we assess the damage over there?:"_ asked the young lady.

Before any deliberation, one villager noticed the presence of the magic-users. " _:Master Kato and Lelei! Oh how lucky for you two to be here! The family using that cart are hurt by the fall; and the cart itself is now blocking the road. We would appreciate that you can help solve the current situation, can you?:"_

" _:Hmm… okay then, let's see what we mages can do here,:"_ replied the old sage. Accordingly, they landed their feet on the road and move towards the mishap. Once at the scene, the duo see the parents and the two children lying on the unpaved pathway… and a trapped horse still panicking.

Entering the site are an eyeglass-wearing American with an M60E4 LMG and his fellow soldier who coincidentally witness the abrupt traffic jam and then run towards the source of the suspension. "Uh, this is Private Sweetwater to all units of Third Recon Team. Sanford and I just spotted an overturned horse wagon blocking the road in the middle of the town. Waiting for instructions, over?" Terrence communicated thru the wireless comm device, which caught the attention of the nearby locals.

"This is Itami and uh… roger that. I'll get some of my people to resolve the accident, but that may require a um… go-ahead from the village chief. Until then, keep the villagers away from the danger zone." Youji responded, giving the natives puzzled looks of this strange 'magic.'

"Okay lieutenant, we will uh… technically speaking, there's a family group lying on the ground near the broken as well as the horse going crazy. The people looked hurt though."

"Oh… thanks for the quick update. I'll get Mari to check the injured. Itami, out."

When the talking is done, the US Army privates notice two persons wearing clothes that are in contrast to what the other villagers wore… and making an effort to help the wounded family by starting with the nearby boy. "Huh… that's weird," Sweetwater observed.

"Do you think those persons are real wizards by some chance?" Sanford wondered.

"Could be, though I didn't see any real magic at this time."

" _:Damn… it seems this boy received a concussion and perhaps a broken arm or leg, as well as needing a safe spot for him to rest. Lelei, get the other wounded back here with great care and watch yourself with the horse too.:"_ Kato voiced with concern.

The platinum-haired woman agrees and go to examine the apparent father. So far, the man's injury is slightly less severe than his son and Lelei soon carefully drag the person out of harm's way from the unstable animal (with the help of other villagers). When that's done, she proceed to walk to the injured girl while keeping track of the horse.

"Uh… _:Lady - be careful! Horse - dangerous! Suggest go back to safe distance, and wait for healer!:_ " Sweetwater warns her as she gets closer to a more riskier position in relation to the downed creature. Even so, the apprentice reached the young girl and find the child's condition to be as serious as her brother. Conscientiously again, Lelei carries the kid back to a safer gap. By that time, three of the JSDF group (namely Kuwahara, Kurokawa, and Itami) arrived and surprised to see the two once more.

"Oh… _:Hello again, Altestan. Not expected to immediately see you here.:_ "Youji remarked.

" _:I'm surprised about that as well, Sir Itami.:"_

While the Japanese team ask the old man for clarifications and Mari evaluates the health situation on the injured, the silver blonde mage goes to the stunned mother despite Soichiro's warning in broken Saderan/Sanderan and the danger presented by the erratic horse.

"Uh… Sweets, keep an eye on the horse while I help the young lady bring the last wounded to safety. Okay?" Bobby has said to the eye-glassed American as he rearrange the strap of his assault rifle just in case of emergency.

"Um… sure, Sanford. I got your flanks covered here," Terrence agreed to observe the animal for trouble.

With that assurance, Bobby heads for Lelei's position to assist the woman still laid on the floor. " _:Need help?:"_

The silver-haired woman accept his assistance and together move the unconscious mother to a safe distance; although a worried Kurokawa voiced her concerns on them to be more careful. When all the injured out of the way, the recon personnel now have to deal with the trapped mammal kicking like mad.

In addition, the American redneck shows up and look at the situation. "Howdy, everyone! So uh... what are we going to do with that horse?"

Private Sweetwater said, "Well Hags, perhaps we could try to calm down the poor farm animal with some nice... whistles or something. Or cover its head with a sizable towel or blanket. Now the last thing we want to do wa-" His suggestions were immediately interrupted by the recently freed creature that is now galloping wildly towards Terrence, George, and everybody else behind them. "SHIT!" Instantly, dozens of small arms projectiles are fired at the uncontrolled horse from the M60E4, Mossenberg shotgun, and M4A1 rifle in use by Sweetwater, Haggard, and Sanford respectively. As a result, the animal is riddled with bullet holes and soon goes down to the ground without anybody being hurt. For anything bittersweet about this scene, the hoofed mammal is still alive but crying and hoofing in pain. Along with the terrified faces of several nearby villagers and the confused magicians wondering what just happened that saves them from being stomped to death. Not to mentioned the shocked Japanese seeing a near overkill of the poor thing.

Oh... and add the incoming radio call from the US Army sergeant to that. "Redford to Itami, what the hell was that?! Are we under attack?!"

The JSDF lieutenant answered, "Sergeant Redford, everyone. It's nothing to worry about! There's no enemy in sight. Just um... a stampeding horse that Haggard, Sweetwater, and Sanford shot at many times over before it could harm someone."

"Wait just a sec... three of my squad have killed an out-of-control farm animal?"

"Actually Samuel, the horse is still alive but in really bad shape by the looks of its bullet wounds. And I don't think we can heal this animal to be functional at all."

"Ugh... well... if there's nothing to help the poor thing, then put it out of its misery. Out."

The recon commander exhale in tiredness and turn his attention to Kuwahara. "Chotto poppusu, watashi wa anata ni kono dōbutsu no unmei no saishū kettei o nokoshimasu. Sore wa daijōbudesuka?"

"Watashi wa anata no meirei o ukeiremasu." Afterwards, Soichiro heads for where the severely damaged lifeform had laid while passing by Terrence and George (who are busy in talking to each other on how to 'solve' a dying horse). Once he arrives there, the JSDF sergeant major examine the chances of treating the devastated animal to full health (which are very slim right now), pulls out his sidearm pistol, and carefully aim towards its cerebrum with two hands. "Kami no rei ga anata ga heiwa o mitsukeru no o tasukete kuremasu yō ni," prayed the older veteran before pulling the trigger that launches the bullet straight through the horse's skull; thus ended its unfortunate life. Seeing the bloody action are the mystified natives in shock by the power of an unknown weapon, the duo mages with curiosity, and the Americans having their 'conversations' halted.

Sweetwater and Haggard look back and forth at both the dead horse and the locals standing where they are like statues with somewhat blank expressions. "Um... _:Sorry for the mess! We will remove obstacle on road! We appreciate your patience!:_ " said the eye-glassed private trying to add calm to the situation. Yet unusually, silence follows. "Ohh-kay... guess they're a bit too scared to move. And I hope none of them have developed post-traumatic stress disorder from this gory incident." After hearing that, the dissatisfied Texan hit quite hard on Terrence's head (or rather the Kevlar helmet) with the fore-end/stock of the Mossenberg shotgun. "Ga-OWWW! Why the hell did you do that for, Hags?!"

"Probably because of you being at fault with petrifying the whole town by filling leads inside a horse," claimed the redneck.

"Hey, that was self-defense! And that includes you firing your shotgun at it!"

"Yeah, but you did suggest other ways to solve the problem without shooting the poor steed." And so begins a squabble over firearm usage; which gives headaches to the presented Japanese soldiers and puzzles the Falmarian inhabitants on such 'weird' behaviors.

Over one minute later, an annoyed Kuwahara walk to the bickering allies and shouted, "Anata wa futari damarete kudasai!" It's loud enough to gain the awareness of the two Yankees to stop talking. After a while, he loosely sigh. "Arigatōgozaimashita," said the older serviceman as he stroll back to his leader with the thought that the US personnel will resume working and less arguing.

But not for long.

"Duh... Sweets. What did that old Jap just said?" Haggard asked.

"I think it rhymes with a 'thank you'... or something."

"Thanks... for what?"

"Eh... I don't know for certain. Although I did heard some Japanese that are equivalent to uh... 'shut up' or similar."

"Hold up a sec on those words... shut - up? Sounded like what our Sarge would says to us."

"Funny... I had heard that this Kuwahara guy goes by the nickname 'Demon' Sergeant in Japanese."

The resumption of their arguments despite the loud voice from Soichiro has baffled the JSDF soldiers, as well as adding more mysteries to the wondering villagers with several children being amused at the spectacle. Just as the Japanese sergeant major is about to do something, he felt a few taps on his right shoulder and turn his head on Ms. Kurokawa (who recently finished treating the injured family and checking several nearby residents). "Koko ni tomete kudasai. Watashi wa kore o sewa shimasu." After saying that, she heads for the two Americans still focused in their conversations. Once being up-close in position and out of the blue, Mari pulls the ears of both men upward to turn their concentrations on her. "Mr. Sweetwater and Mr. Haggard. We need more efforts in aiding the civilians and less chatting is highly recommended at this time. Agree?" In response, the two misfits nodded in agreement even though they currently feel the pain from their yanked hearing organs. "Good, now let us get back to work gentlemen." She release her grips on the Americans' ears and resume her duty to analyze any health problem within the village.

With distressed feelings in their audio body parts, the rambunctious pair eventually help move the damaged cart out somewhere to the side of the road with other recon soldiers. Meanwhile, Lelei intuitively got hold of some spent cartridges from the dirt for the sake of understanding these 'magical' tools. Afterwards and with only Gat and Haggard in the picture though, a number of the excessive items from the wreck were uh... 'compensated' without being noticed.

Elsewhere in the settlement however, Kurata has a question for his commander in Japanese. "Commander, don't tell me we're going to be taking care of all of these people forever?"

"Huh?"

"Aren't there any lords or royalty around here?"

"Heh... about that. I talked to the chief about it and what I got was that none of the lords in this region ever came back... after they were sent to fight at Arnus Hill."

"Uh... hey, does that mean that we're responsible for taking away their protections?"

"Well, indirectly from us for sure; but let's not forget the Empire's decision to send more men to the slaughter."

"Yeah, just as stupid as invading our capital city with such barbarity instead of diplomatic envoys on how the Gate really works. Back to the escort thing though, are we still sticking with the Americans and Russians for this?"

"Hah... afraid so. I'm their recon leader as of today and not feeling fond of having my major officers screaming me out for somehow losing control of our allies. Plus, they had said that the spirit magic of the elves has concealed them from a possible dragon attack; which leaves this convoy of ordinary humans more or less exposed. And even if I did orde-"

"Lieutenant Itami!" voiced an African American sergeant with the Russian master sergeant tagging along to meet Youji.

The JSDF officer replied in English, "Oh... kon'nichiwa Redford and Kamarov. What brings you here?"

"Well, me and Kamarov want to be certain that you're actually committed in protecting these fleeing villagers. Is that right?"

"Eh... yes. Doing so will get the civilians love us more than their own leadership... perhaps."

Dimitri added, "With all due respect leytenant, loving the innocent masses don't come with warning labels about refugee freeloaders, overloaded wagons breaking apart, or any other mishaps that can happen. I mean - when comparing the elves to these people with excessive possessions, they're more thoughtful of what to bring in their search for a new home without stressing out their transportation. Kind of wish the same thing for these folks here to be a bit more analytical or possibly innovative on how to evacuate safely. And that doesn't includes the chance of hostile attacks from enemy soldiers, bandits, highly dangerous animals, and so on."

"If that's the case, then I would have ordered your groups to ride back to base with concerns for your lives."

"True, but doing so might provoke interpretations of my unit being dishonorable to authority. As well as having less eyewitnesses on your responsibilities as a reconnaissance leader."

"Huh... guess I wouldn't have to worry about that. What's your mind thinking, Redford? Do you want to go back to Arnus Base?"

Samuel answered, "I would personally like to, sir. The only problem here is my squad's overall decision to be like Good Samaritans for the villagers... and that is something I cannot override."

"Ugh... well let's hope that these people have very high tolerance when 'peculiar' habits from your guys arises."

"Which relates to this question: how long do you think we can continue to provide escort before they have safely reached their destination?"

"Um... probably as long as possible for them to arrive at a uh... safe place."

The American and Russian officers couldn't believe what he just said. "Are you implying that you or the villagers have no idea where they're going?!" asked the starshina.

"Well... maybe not for most of the folks here. Nevertheless, we'll do our best to keep dangers away from the civilians as they travel to a better destination."

"Leytenant, can you please ask the chief or anybody else on the places that they might be heading to at this journey's end? Like right now, sir?!"

"Eh-uh... sure, Starshina. I'll see what information my unit can gather from the villagers. And uh... thanks... for helping us."

"Not a big deal, sir. Just find out for our own sake though!" Redford responded.

"Ah... ryōkai!" In a short time, Youji and Takeo are on the move again to ask the local humans on their safer destinations. At the same time, the international sergeants walk towards their respective subgroups. Before he could start doing the quick inquiries however, the JSDF recon commander received a radio transmission in a feminine voice.

"Mike-One-Juliet to RCT3 Actual, report." Itami stand still as he heard the female dispatch officer. "RCT3 Actual, can you respond?"

After some thoughts, the Japanese lieutenant prepares for a response... if any at all.

"Uh... kon'nichiwa? Lieutenant Itami, soko ni imasu ka?"

Four minutes forward, the US Army Sarge arrives at the grenade launcher-mounted Humvee... and see a rather embarrassing sight.

"You're sure it's okay to eat those food? I mean, they're used to belong to some of the villagers here," Sanford wondered.

"Eh, why not. These are just fruits and nuts for only snack time. But anyway... I'm hungry! And I'm fed up with army rations!" Haggard proclaimed.

"You're quite right, Hags. Several of us staying in Fort Gondor or something are all fed up with eating the basic meals, in small sizes by the way, for many months now," Johnny commented.

Sweetwater added, "Yeah, but he's more fed up 'cause he ate mines as well!"

"Well Sweets, you snooze, you lose when you don't keep track of your food and surroundings a week ago."

"Guys! What the hell are those stuff supposed to be?!" Redford shouted, which redirect the four heads of the rowdy soldiers nearby the relatively stuffed automobile towards their sergeant.

The Texan 'explained' this predicament, "Uh... well Sarge, we did see many wagons fill with lots of stuff that may um... break apart the wooden carts by shear weight at some point. So... for relieving that sort of pressures, me and Gat thought that it would be appropriate to 'empty' some of their goods for the sake of the other cargoes in the long run." (Although most of the 'gathered' merchandises came from the downed cart and the mages' outskirt house.)

The Asian American cooperatively said, "Nonetheless, there just too many of those overburden carts to try to lighten up."

"Which means that these commodities are all that Haggard and Gat could loot!" Terrence clarified.

Sergeant Samuel stares at his squad-mates with dissatisfaction. "Augh... when we come back to the main fort, I would most likely ask one of the higher ups to give you guys something like latrine duties to do... or be locked up in jail for days as consequences for pillaging!"

"Wait, punishing us two for easing some of the heavy wagons? Uh... we don't see any rules against retrieving the people's stuff," stated the redneck.

Sweetwater disagreed, "Actually, there is. It's called the Geneva Convention."

Haggard looks around the landscape that is not 'Geneva.' "Well... we're not in Geneva now are we, college boy?"

After processing the statement, he eyeglass-wearing private said, "He make a sound argument, Sarge."

The African-American face-palm his head in disbelief.

"Bravo-One-Charlie, this is Mike-One-Juliet. Can you quietly respond?" A whispered tone came through the wireless device of the Sarge.

"Mike-One-Juliet, this is-"

"Shh! I did tell you to lower down the volume, sergeant."

Redford soon tone down his voice. "Ah-ahem... alright, ma'am. Is there a reason to be this quiet?"

"Two actually. One is this nationalistic lieutenant of the JSDF who has a uh... 'grudge' with the 'Hero of Ginza' and sometimes come to my worksite in one of the allied command and control centers for updates on Lieutenant Itami; since I'm currently the communication handler for you guys in the Third Recon Team. Second reason is Itami's decision to go radio-silence as indicated by his rather good effort to mimic static buzz; despite me seeing live-footage from one of our high-altitude surveillance drones on your group helping the native evacuees."

"Wait... did you just figu-?"

"Listen Redford. The order for RCT3 to return to base ASAP still stands. If anyone finds out about this 'heroic' operation right now, then all of Recon Team Three could possibly face significant repercussions - and that includes the Japanese lieutenant himself. Even so... who really wants to see that many people and their families to be killed or burned alive by a big clear threat; and who's cold-minded enough to ignore their plea for help other than a group of Japanese and American misfits following their moral compass regardless of the risks involved?"

"Hmm, so you're actually going to assist us then?"

"In secrecy for the moment, sergeant. Anyway, do you have an idea of where these settlers migrating to?"

"Negative, Mike-One-Juliet. I'm actually waiting for the recon leader to provide the answer."

"Dear God... well, if factoring in the Koan Forest incident, the Dumas mountains, and the distance and direction between the two villages; I may guess that they're heading northwest to the Dessria Highway that leads to a crossroad city called Italica or directly go north to the towns connected with the Appia Highway. The catch is that both pathways could take around four to six days to reach their goals by just walking alone."

"Somewhere north, then?" The Sarge then asked, "On the matter of details though, how did you managed to know that much?"

"The information available to me were gathered by our special forces before the multiple activation of straightforward recon teams. But that's all I'm giving to you for today because I need to refocus on the surveillance UAV flying to the source of those recent earthquakes and explosive sounds. Good luck on the escort though, sir."

"Understood, ma'am. Bravo-One-Charlie out."

Gradually, all of the human villagers have their possessions collected in the long train of carriages and proceed to leave their homes to safer locations. The soldiers of the Third Recon Team quickly begin escort duties for the whole convoy, although at the same slow pace as the protected refugees.

Except for one family that hastily left the settlement hours before the rest of them.

Which relates to a place somewhere near the western face of the Dumas Mountain (around one hour before midnight)... 

A campfire continues to burn to provide warmth and light for a dozen men encircling it; while the other twelve are either on lookouts or rummaging on the broken wagon for any more valuables. They laugh and enjoy the provisions that used to belong to the mentioned group of a father, mother at age 36, and nineteen-year-old daughter. The fate of the human family is more apparent by the dead bodies on the ground within walking distances: a male corpse with a sword-stab to the neck and the naked females being completely lifeless due to the bandits' relentlessly rapes on them. A minute later, the brigands' chatter change the subject to that of the 'defenseless' caravans coming from Coda Village. They lustfully imagine the bountiful loots to be taken away, the immense heinous crimes the marauders could easily inflict, and perhaps how many people could be captured for the slave markets. Just one problem: there are two dozens of them against over six hundred fleeing villagers. One suggestion is to recruit former legionaries still straggling from the Holy Hill battle that occurred over nine months ago... or other bandit gangs that had been formed or strengthened by the influxes of deserters from the military fiasco. However, the pillaging activities were not as high as they once were; all because of the appearances of bright color-eyed 'demons' that can kill wrongdoers with multiple bolts of light or some sort of dark magic on the Alnus Province and sometimes beyond that. Consequently, the number of plunderers in this sector decreased during the past several month.

As they ponder on how to get the strength to overwhelm the incoming columns of evacuees, one of the bandits on guard alert them. "Boss, we have interlopers coming!"

"What? Are they stragglers, nobles, knights, legionaries, or even the demons?!" the criminal leader asked.

"I'm not sure, boss. But they do look li-?"

"'Ey 'umiez, we Orkz got kwes-chinz for ya!" said a green-skinned humanoid accompanied by five others like him (but wearing clothes and carrying equipment unknown to these 'native' bandits or even anyone on Falmarius/Sandera).

The leading bandit noted, "Oh... orcs... wait, this far right here?"

"So... boss, what do you want us do?"

The head of the raiders contemplated, "Hmm... let them come here. I have a proposition in mind."

With that decision granted, the guarding underlings allow these 'barbarians' to move closer to the campsite.

The chief figure of the human marauders observes the appearances of these 'beast-men': improvised masks, green skins, carnivorous teeth, hunched body frames, warpaint of red, black, purple, and/or brown; knife-shaped blades that are rather big, foliage on their rugged leather clothes, and strange metal objects in different shapes attached to their outfits. "So... what do you animals want from my gang?"

The leader of the green 'orcs' replied, "Dah... nofin' big, just wantin' ta 'noh ware we are right now."

The bandit chief look at them in confusion. "Wait, you orcs got lost or something?"

"Dum... 'eah, we don't 'noh if diz place iz Falmaryaz or not. Or waz it Falmart or wat?"

The human males then laugh in amazement that these 'demi-humans' had no idea where they are, despite being in the right (and recognizably only known) continent. "Ha, ha... of course this land is Falmart, you typical - dumb - beasts!"

The 'orc' mob were surprised at first by the laughter. However, they soon chuckle a bit at the assumptions made by these 'humies' about them...

Considering that they're not just your ordinary 'Orks'... and the greenskins have the tools and the know-how to say otherwise. Still, they got another question to ask.

"O-kay, 'umy. Doz any ov 'u 'noh a city nearby? Or somfin' like dat?"

"Hmm... well, there is a city called Italica that's west of our location. On the other hand, it's going to be several days on foot to travel there. As well as facing its fortified stone walls and their guards if you orcs are interested in getting yourselves killed," answered the leading marauder.

"Uh... wez Orkz ar' not finkin' ov dyin' yet."

"Oh... if that's the case, then I have a deal for you foul creatures!"

"A deal? Wat iz it den?"

"Here's the thing: there is an entire village on run and brought with them loads of valuable possessions just waiting to be taken."

"Huh, stealin' stuff 'u say?"

"Indeed, attacking a big herd of sheep... that can't even fight back!"

"Uh... wait, dey kan't fight bahk?"

"Of course, no risk of getting sword wounds from such weak group of villagers! However, my gang is twenty-four strong in comparison to an entire settlement in the hundreds. Which is what my proposal is all about: helping to plunder the rich goods of those soft-minded people... and that includes killing them, raping their women, and even enslaving lots of these villagers for the slave market as many as us guys and you beastmen want! So, what do you say about that?"

The green-skinned humanoids are puzzled at an assault on a large defenseless convoy... which might turn out to be boring for the Orks. Yet there something on the edge of their minds to find out. "Duh... don't want ta be rude, but wy ar' dey fleeing den?

Astonishment is on the thoughts of the raiding men who heard such question from these strange savages. The higher rank bandit answered, "What silly words coming out from a silly orc! Er... fine, I'll immediately give you heathens the reason for our preys to leave!"

"And dat reazon iz... wat?"

The human boss breathes in before exhaling in annoyance. "A fucking... Fire Dragon!"

The word dragon is actually very rare for the green barbarians to hear. "Eh... watz a fire dragon?"

"Are you beastly scumbags fucking kidding me! It's a very big animal with many scales and two big wings! The ancient dragon eats creatures and people alive! It breathes flames that could incinerate even the best fortress ever made! And... ugh... no mortal sorcerers or warriors had ever killed such calamity and lived to tell about it for many centuries, regardless of their own skills. Get it?!"

After hearing how powerful this creature is, the 'orcs' begin to express glee at something more... challenging. "We get it, 'umy. An' uh... dankz for da anserz ta uz Orkz."

"Eh, hold on. What about your answers to my proposition?"

The green-colored mob leader had already made an 'answer' for that (or any other questions... or none). "Well... wez still finkin' abowt it dowh, but we do got giftz for 'ur boyz ta take az uh... apprecia-chinz for da info first."

"Seriously, presents? And what would that be?"

Soon, all six of the beastly barbarians (the ork commander included) each take out a head-sized metal cylinder attached to a stick for the bandits to see. "Deze dingz right 'ere."

As they gave these devices to the human marauders, curiosity overtaken the men despite the apparent heaviness of all the contraptions. So far, all the appeared metal objects are each beholden by three raiders, which leaves six bandits in sentry work. "So... what does this thing suppose to do?"

Keep in mind that all the visual humanoids are very nearby the human units wondering about the devices... more specifically, the circular metal pin connected to the bottom of the stick part. "I glad 'u asked, 'umy. Now, 'u first put 'ur finger in da metal pin. Den... 'u make a wi-sal an' pull da pin owt." The ork chief whistled that signal the other barbarians to pull the pins out of the contraptions with strings attached. After all the pins are gone, the greenskins immediately move away from the campsite.

Those acts perplexed the raiders holding or being next to the gizmos. "Hey, what's going on here? And where is your answer in joining the slaughter?!"

The 'answer' came seconds later... when the ork-made grenades instantly turn into explosions. The explosive and sonic blasts, along with shrapnel, tear apart the bodies of the humans in gory pieces. The marauders on guard turn their sights at the loud source - only to be shocked at the bloody situation. Unfortunately, the six distracted criminals are killed by the 'sneaky' humanoids behind them with their choppa knives (one beheaded, another stabbed to the back, the next having his throat sliced up, a slash on a head, a slash on a back, and the last one stabbed on the head). Once the killings are over, the orkish kommandoz laugh and roar victoriously.

"Bwah, ha, ha, ha, ha... WAAAAAGH!"

After those war-cries are done, they scavenges the location of the former bandits. Gradually, the green savages reignite the campfire and cook up the human bodies for eating... and that includes the desecrated physiques of the unlucky family.

"Hey, watz takin' da oda boyz on da ship diz long?"

"Might 'ave been too buzy wif gettin' der gearz ready for da Waaagh.

"Or 'avin' too much fun wif dat Fragtrap on board!"

One might expect a demigod to enter the scene as the kommando mob cook and eat the ripped body parts (including the female breasts from the dead ladies) while having some laughs.

XXXXX

That would have been true for an apostle serving the God of War and Darkness, who is wearing a Greco-Roman-style attire reminiscent of Imperial Rome's Vestal Virgins albeit a bit tattered (Except for the black color on the garments; which is also on her gloves, metal forearm guard, breastplate and shoulder armor, medieval armor for her feet, greaves for the lower legs, and not to mention the large halberd (Iron spear with an axe-shaped blade attached near the top point and a fascine-like structure in parallel with the sharp, bulky object)...

If it wasn't for the impact shock made by the gigantic Ork mothership of yellow and green colors, which diverted her attention from other interests on the continent like the Gate on Alnus Hill and many stories of ghostly demons hunting bandits and Imperial soldiers. Now she's a few miles away from the source of the unknown shaking and boom sound. Despite being that far, her supernatural senses as a demigoddess allows her to analyze the commotions from that gargantuan rocket vehicle.

And what a great horde of 'orcs' and bizarre contraptions she saw in front of her while the first sunlight of the morning appears: thousands of green-skinned aliens carrying battle axes, swords, hammers, and clubs; smaller goblin-like humanoids rushing all over the giant place doing something with strange metal 'golems,' iron elephants, horseless wagons, smaller ugly towers, and even some sorts of metallic birds - along with 'orcs' conducting the same thing; countless more holding odd instruments akin to crossbows but without the bow and in different shapes; and then there are the much bigger savages with their own sets of weird weaponry. Yet there are no sign of the stealthy beastmen that she encountered on her way to this enormous structure.

Of course... a whole mob of them were annihilated by her superpowers when both participants asked too many questions... and get too eager to kill. Evidently, she still remembered that 'orcish' ruse as the apostle was given a strange device as a gift. When they began to run away from her, the paranormal female quickly caught up the fact that she's holding an unknown sort of weapon. One second after throwing it in mid-air, it explode and did deep fragment damages on her body. To the surprise of the devious humanoids though, her self-healing was rather quick as shrapnel are expelled out of her anatomy. With the regeneration complete, the suddenly giggling 'teenager' started her swift attacks on the green 'liars' that soon fought back with knives, grenades, and guns. The fierce fight was surprising long enough for one of them to warn the green hordes about this 'killa humie' through a communication gadget; before all of them were dead and their weapons broken apart.

Two hours of examination at a distance goes by, the beastly army are fully geared up and ready for all-out rampage on the surrounding lands. At that moment, the demigoddess move at superhuman speed towards this vast rabble of 'orcs' and then halt about a few yards facing them with a smile. _":Good morning, you orcish gentlemen. Thank you all for putting your lives on the line for this upcoming festival that you warriors had made. Thus, I hereby express my gratitude in the place of my divine master.:"_

"Duh... wat did dat 'umy said ta uz?"

"Eh... don't 'noh. 'U?

"Wy should I? I'm mor' finkin' on killin' her or not."

"Same 'ere on wat she'z talkin' abowt."

The black-haired apostle is confused by this... spectacle as the Orks keep wondering on what she is. It dawn on her that these monstrous outsiders are rather illiterate on her native language and the same thing goes for the supernatural character in not comprehending their foreign language, too.

After a few minutes, one of the greenskins got a suggestion. "'Ey, letz get one ov da smart grotz to figur' owt! Dey should 'noh wat shez sayin'!" Half an hour later of waiting, screams of gretchinz resonate the air above the meeting point as they fall to that location. Or close to it since the smaller green humanoids crash next to the black-wearing female figure.

"Ow... ugh..." One of them sighed before looking at the demigoddess. "Ah... ahem... _:Who ar' 'u?:_ "

" _:Oh, that's wonderful! I am Lori Mercurius, an apostle for Emloy; God of War, Darkness, Violence, and Insanity. My purpose on this day is to start... a party of blood._ "

The little orkoids translates her message to the nearby mobs and the rest of the hundred-thousand horde by radio.

"Uh... a god ov waaagh... like Gork an' Mork?" an ork asked, which is soon translated by the Gretchins to the demigoddess.

 _":Not... quite. You see, my divine lord doesn't care about moral values: right or wrong. The only thing matters to Emloy is the motivations behind the actions, like what you 'orcs' are doing.:"_

Another ork stated something after hearing translation. "Wateva 'umy! All wez Orkz want ta do iz ta 'ave fun... by killin' anyding in our way!" A burst of laughter is emitted among the war-like humanoids.

One greenskin said, "Speakin' ov party, 'ow ar' 'u suppozed ta start one wif no blood right now?"

As she listen to the language conversions, the black-clothed figure giggles on what they had meant. The gretchins wondering what so funny in her head... but most are instantly decapitated with one fast strike from her weapon. The few of those mini-orkoids still living got shivers in their spines as they look at the carnage made by this 'human.'

 _":Simple... by spilling your bloods for my god.:"_

"Aaah! Run for 'ur lives!" yelled one of the frighten grots running away from her.

For the Orks however... they just laugh at the gretchins' unfortunes with amusement and got a clear message from the demigoddess with excitement.

Very soon though, a more authoritarian voice is heard through the big loudspeakers dotting all over the affected area. "Listen up 'u squakin' gitz! The Warboss ain't 'ere yet, so me, Barrteeff, will be en charge wif da lot of 'u all. Now, from wat I hurd from da runtz, diz 'umy at our doorstep wanted ta fight uz Orkz! Well den, it'z a fight she'z gonna get from uz Greenskinz! An' wen we're done wif her, den we'll chop up any gitz in our way! Oi, Clappy runt! Turn on da Waaagh banner towerz!"

A more optimistic sound followed. "Sure thing, mighty Barrteeff! I will activate the loudest and rockiest ork battle music ever to be unleashed on this magical continent! I think it's called Falmart... or was it Falmaria or Falmarius... uh, maybe Sandera? Eh, I don't think my Terran friends will care about that. They're not quite fond on this particular part of the planet with reasons like 'This place does have real magic, but it gets pretty boring after over one thousand years of people-watching' and 'These so-called gods over there are a bunch of conforming b##ches!' But what do I care about that? I have met a lot of folks during my last time on this stagnant place! Like this nomadic good-looking lady I once met who can use the Power of the Force, or the Orange lady apostle who I... uh, accidentally disintegrate her when I still had my SoulFighter superpowers. Or how about the Imperial soldiers that I magically transported along with myself to Pandora? Oh, and speaking of that chaotic landscape, I wondered what Hammerlock has been doing over there since he's the first mage I had ever met after the explosive fiasco and before me being turned into a superweapon! And let's not forget about Miss Lori over there! She can be quite friendly, although the demigoddess can get very high and scary when being next to a medieval battle... or a fight... or was it also a massacre? Oh, and I should also menti-!" Before saying more of the babbling at the fabricated site on top of the multiple rocket exhausts, a big mechanical arm with claws from the leading meganob's armored exoskeleton grabs firmly on the boxy droid and held it in the air with annoyance.

"'Uza pretty mowfy one, ain't ya Claptrap. 'Ow abowt sendin' 'u ta our mekboyz for more torturin' on ya? Or perhapz a freefall from diz hight and do it all ova again?!"

"No, wait! Not the torturing and fear of heights! I beg you, Barrteeff! I'll do want you want me to do without speaking so much!" Pretty much all the orkoids chuckles at Claptrap's funny chattering and his predicament. The apostle took longer to recognize the robot's voice and find his characteristics changed little from her previous encounters with him; although Claptrap is currently speaking in the Orks' primary language.

"So? Wat ar' ya waitin' for?! Start da Waaagh!"

"Uh-ah-okay! Activating the wild sounds... now!"

Seconds later, the scattered banner structures come alive with electrical statics. Immediately, their towering doors burst open to reveal audio amplifiers/speakers that instantly plays barbaric noises across the very wide area. "Time ta rile up, ladz!" yelled an Ork voice from all of those energetic Waaagh towers with lights, flames, and electric arches coming out of them. Respectively though, Lori is lost on what those sounds coming from the weird constructions suppose to mean as the bizarre music continues on and light displays of white bars stacking up. After thirty seconds reaching their peaks, all the music-emitting structures seemingly 'explode' and unleash volleys of many fireworks in the air.

This got all the nearby orks to simultaneously yell one word: "WAAAAAAAAGH!"

And with that frenzy, the green mass madly charge at the apostle head on. In turn, she swings her big halberd into the ground to unleash a powerful shockwave that sends many greenskins flying backwards... while still giggling at her opponents. Yet thousands more outside the new blast zone are coming closer to excitedly attack this supernatural character. As a response to that, Lori easily free her weapon from the dirt and soon horizontally swing it at the incoming barbarians - causing dozens of Orks to be torn apart in one big slash. Then another swing to decimate more of those savages. And the same styles of attack repeatedly being used for some time on the blade-wielding mobs. On several unexpected occasions, an ork got stuck with the axe-blade of her weapon instead of being sliced open... and still alive. Regardless, the apostle can swing her halberd with ease - but with more blunt force on the attacking orkoids than a clear cut. Another moment was jumping up in the air while dodging close-calls and also having the warlike humanoids piling on her; and then later smash the ork-filled ground with her weapon that produce a big blast of air to push them back.

The next wave of green looks the same as last time... except for their slugga guns and grenades in tandem with their choppa tools. And gretchin-piloted killa kan mechas joining the fray. So instead of letting them come while being shot at, Lori attack the greenskins head on... along with blocking and dodging the bullets. She dice and slice as usual, though the demigoddess does had to be careful with grenades while spinning her bladed tool... and watch out for rare chances of her halberd being stuck inside a killa kan.

"Shoot! Chomp! Smash! Stomp!"

As the 'battle' rages, the chief meganob observe the situation while also keeping track on the yellow bot establishing a relay transmission... for more Orks in ships to come obviously. "Clappy, iz da brohdcast towa ready?!"

"Uh... just a few more adjustments and... here we go!" What Claptrap actually did was... making the tall edifice a receiver to wireless advertisement from intergalactic gun makers instead of being a receiver.

"The following message from Mr. Torgue does not reflect the opinions of the Torgue Corporation itself. - TORGUE GUNS, BABY! THEY MAKES THINGS EXPLODE! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EVER WANT?! TORGUE!"

"Oh, Mr. Torgue. What a funny guy to hear, and I wonder if it's worth meeting him?" said the enthusiastic droid.

"Yeah... wat a fowsand teef I wud give to met dat 'umy... or 'ow abowt meetin' me fist to dat face of yourz if 'u don't rework da gadjit?!" shouted the ork in charge.

"Wah! Ah-ah-alright, alright! I'll re-calibrate the signal stations as soon as possible!"

Back to the ground, the superpowers of the apostle has left a lot of Orks and Gretchins dead and more of them absolutely disabled. Even so, another massive assault that now includes walking deff dreads, nobs, 'ard boys, and flying stormboys is under way towards her location. Once in combat with this horde, the demigoddess slowly adds caution in the fighting as the orkish weaponry, intelligence, and unpredictability are more potent than the last group she dispatched. Things like the wide assortments of buzz-saw blades and mechanical claws in all arms of each deff dread (along with their heavy armor that a sizable halberd can get stuck on); ork nobs with axe choppas, big buzz-saw choppas, big hammers, and hand-held slugga pistols; and the possible malfunctions of the stormboys' rocket packs that could explode in front of Lori. Ultimately though, she completely defeats them despite receiving many cuts and punches from her opponents that heals rather quickly.

The next big wave against her consist of mainly the bigger orks: Nobs, deff dreads, and several close combat-oriented mega dreads. Just as the demigoddess is about to make a move, she suddenly felt the shaking of the ground below her. Then, something burst out of the terrain that the apostle instantly maneuver away. What is being revealed is an orkish walker with two large drills: a mad dread. "Ha, ha, ha! Time ta stomp an' kill!" Oh, and there several more of those contraptions coming out of the ground.

Once again, Lori charge with manic laughter towards the tougher horde while trying to be careful not to underestimate them... and what a big beating she gets as the 'battle' continues further. In the end however, the supernatural character destroys this ork force albeit getting hurt... a lot.

" _:So... who's next?:_ " stated the apostle.

The answer came in the form of a very huge volley of rounds coming from many shoota boys and nobs with shootas and big shootas, lootas with deffguns, flash gitz with their customized snazzguns, gretchins manning the gun turrets, grot-crewed Scorpion light and medium tanks (looted or bought from Terrans in Pandora... or sometimes dropped by the interstellar foreigners out of boredom), Ork-modified Marauder heavy tanks, Quad autocannon turrets on wartrukks and 'confiscated' halftracks, mega dreads with cannons for arms, deffcoptas, tankbustas, runt-driven rocket buggies, gun-equipped deff dreads and killa kans, and everything else from their massive ship firing on her now.

Lori Mercurius is still determine to defeat these green-colored humanoids.

It's just that the firepower pouring onto her has made such effort way more difficult to succeed. For examples: having one of her hands blown up by a stray shell from one of the less accurate orkish firearms while swinging her halberd attacks; dealing with burna boys using their flamethrowers; helicopter pilots attack the female figure with their hanging buzz-saws; some orks equipped with electric-shock weapons; armor penetration difficulties on the various tanks and walkers; explosions; and so on. Sections by sections of the mammoth vessel in a vertical path, the demigoddess shattered the shooting resistances - at the cost of more wounds and time being consumed. While the 'firefights' goes on, the painboys or 'mad doks' head for the defeated orks (dead or alive) on the ground to heal the wounded and sometimes do uh... experimentation with their 'stabby bits.' "Ooh, ooh! Fresh meat! I can make so many improvementz!"

Gradually, she arrives at the big metal doors that leads to the power core room. " _:Huh? I wonder what this could be?:_ "

"Hello Miss Mercurius! You just reached the power core compartment!" said the former custodian bot through the in-built speakers (who already finished the signal activation). "This is the place where it generates electricity for every electronic on this ship and powers the ship's big thrusters to the sky! Uh... not right now though since its engines were supposed to be the other wa-"

"Oi, Clappy! Let diz 'umy go fruh! I got someding ta shoh for her!" said an unknown ork on the other side of the entrance.

"Ookey-Dookey! Activating the sliding doors... Aaaand OPEN!" Very shortly, the metal obstructions automatically moves towards the sides.

The apostle see the accessible space in front of her, despite not knowing what they're saying. Also within her sight is a large greenskin - a big mek to be precise.

"Nice ta see ya 'ere, 'umy! I got a new toy ta test on ya!" shouted the large mechanic with a kustom mega blasta on one arm and a powered claw of tools (like wrench and chainsaws) on the other.

The superpowered female chuckles as she position herself for an attack on him. Lori quickly charge at the big ork... only to be stopped all of a sudden. She got yank by her own halberd that didn't move. The demigoddess gets up and looks behind her to see the same metal doors clamped onto her weapon... and she can't free it easily somehow. _":What the... how in the gods' name did this happen?!:"_

At Claptrap's location, he is puzzled at what's that sound as the droid was fiddling around the control buttons and keys for 'music' afterwards. "Uh... did I just do something like close a door or what?"

As the surprised apostle tries to get her battle tool out of the doors' grip, the snickering big mek rolls a high-explosive time bomb in a big barrel towards her location. She hears the peeping sound from the large cylinder as it ramps up the frequency of the noise. Her progress on the removal is good but still a bit slow while the big ork has his energy weapon aiming at her. At the last moment, the demigoddess finally liberated her halberd just as the green-skinned mechanic fires his mega blasta. The energy blast obviously miss the target despite how close it was for her. Could have been said for the bomb if it wasn't for the device exploding afterwards. And boy... did she got caught in the bomb blast that sent her flying in the room until her body hit hard on the walls and then fall to the metal floor (with her hands missing due to the explosion). The big mek walks over there to see if she's really dead.

Apparently not, since Lori quickly regains consciousness and kick the up-close ork really hard towards a wall. Due to being fitted with his own forcefield generator however, the big mek looks fine. Not if the demigoddess has something to say as her hands regenerate and grab her signature weapon. Soon, she jump and slam her halberd onto the ork giant with full force. The energy shield still works but the protective device became very unstable and may not survive the next attack. As she prepares her next move, Lori's eyes instantly catches several incoming streams of energy homing on her. She evades the attacks and then see several orks with long staves that each have a skull on top... along with mobs of nobs.

"Okay boyz! Letz get 'urselvez war-pafed!" The weirdboyz then emits surges of psychic energy that goes into the nearby nobs, which they roar in excitement. While the black-haired woman is distracted, the bigger ork mechanic (who goes by the name of um... Magmek) activates his personal 'tellyporta' to teleport out of the room. When she heard the strange zap noise, the lady turn her sight and find the beastly engineer nowhere to be seen. One of the empowered nob charge at the sidetracked apostle... which still fails as she immediately intercept the attack with her weapon. Except that its more of a blunt smash than a clean slice that launch the barbarian in the air and impact a wall... and he's still alive for another go at her thanks to the psychic protection from the weirdboys.

 _":Well... that was certainly interesting.:"_ Lori commented as the 'enchanted orcs' began their next assault on her... that she gladly accept.

Back at the beacon station meanwhile, the newly arrived big mek fixes his shield contraption. "Dang, dat 'umy 'az wrek me shield fingy real good wif dat big choppa!"

"Actually Magmek, Lori is holding a halberd made of metal and uh... real magic!" Claptrap clarified.

"Duh... so wat?"

"So... the issue is that the axe-like weapon is only exclusive to her as an apostle of her patron god. And to be such a divine servant, you have to be chosen by one of many different gods of this continent to receive a superweapon."

"Gork an' Mork didn't gave uz somding like dat, but we did make lotz ov invenchinz for killin' instead. And I might add stealin' stuff, too!" exclaimed the leading meganob.

"Yeah... I should mention that her blade tool is very, very heavy for anyone except herself. Not a badass dragon, sorcerer, ork, eldar, human, or even an awesome robot can pick up the finicky thing!"

"Wat... it kan't be stolen?!"

"Yep, it really sucks for us! And even if given any magic weapon from those polytheistic deities, you'd be forever trapped in obeying their commands like 'keep everything here the same for centuries' or 'stop or kill the innovative creators from further developing science' or 'destroy these highly advanced guns that can hurt our existences' or anything else that keep this magical place stagnant and with no inventions forever."

After some pause, the orkish mechanic stated, "So wait... dem godz dizlike invenchinz?"

"Pretty much what the deal is. No more making shootas, deffguns, choppas, power claws, deff dreads, tanks, airplanes, rockets, nuclear warheads, spaceships, and everything all fun and high-tech to the medieval lands."

Barrteef digesting the info concluded, "Dat sounded too borin' for uz Orkz. And wez not gonna take orderz from dem deityz, so zog doze magic trinketz den!" The meganob then look at the gretchins in charge with the machinery. "Oi ya runty mekz, watz on da 'umy gal?!"

The grots manage to put a display showing the 'battle' inside the core room. "Well... itz seem dat our weirdboyz ar' puttin' up a good fight." Seconds later, a green beam came out from the floor that luckily didn't hit anyone. "And dum... tearin' up da place."

Indeed, the collateral damage continues to pile up within the power core section as the psychic orks with their remaining nob warriors and Lori duke it out. The demigoddess uses as much paranormal strength and spells as necessary to obliterate the 'mages' while the weirdboys emit all available psychic powers to smash her up for good. Twenty minutes later, the apostle managed to annihilate half of them. Nevertheless, she unexpectedly feel... tired for some unknown reason. Suddenly, the metal floor fell apart as consequences of the unintended destruction brought on by the fight. Lucky for Lori, she still has the divine gifts to instantly move to a stable platform - while the present greenskins fall with the departed surface. With that being done, the apostle thoughtfully navigate thru the makeshift framework of the entire ship as she climbs up to the top.

Although... it would have been nice for the female character to put more considerations on the nature of the power core that was damaged by the 'battle' and now dangling at a lower height.

With high concentration of energy simmering inside and arches of electricity going haywire on the powerplant's exterior.

Several minutes forward with a scene of the whole crashed ork vessel, a very big, city-wide explosion engulfs the ship and the surrounding areas. Afterwards, a giant mushroom cloud form on the site.

* * *

 **A/N: After looking at the topics in forums related to GATE: Thus the JSDF Fought There for over a year, I made the decision to have the 'Falmart' characters be about 4 years older than canon... and get different names for some. Additionally, the design on the 'oracle' should be more 'older' looking and culturally 'appropriate' to the Roman/Medieval Fantasy environment she lives in. As for further information on that, I got a story element in my head that could explain on why she looks older than a 'girl.'  
**

 **For aid, the Scorpion and Marauder tanks have the appearances of those in the C &C General series (1, 2, and fan-made modifications).**

 **In the meantime, you readers can say anything about the stories...**

 **Once... again.**

 **Minor edit 8-8-2017: Lelei's new last name and another thing for RCT3 to asked about.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Some plot elements here are inspired by Snake Squad's Third Recon Team, so thanks for that lad. Adding this story as well are elements from the Army of Two franchises, mods for the C &C General: Zero Hour (Contra, Shockwave, Untitled, etc.), and the cancelled sequel to the RTS game. Copyright infringement not intended.  
**

* * *

Earlier….

On the vast grassy plain under the morning sunlight are very long lines of refugees that had left their Coda village yesterday for safer locations away from the Flame Dragon. Guarding them are the vehicles of the Third Recon Team: three Japanese automobiles in the front and the other half in the rear. In one US Army Humvee is Private Bobby Sanford as its driver, Private Preston Marlowe in the front passenger seat, and Specialist Mirenda Rios in the back seats as she reads the 'nonessential' books and scrolls written in the native language.

"Everything fine back there, Rios?" Marlowe asked.

"I'm quite okay with the reading materials right here. At least these would keep me preoccupied while escorting the fleeing villagers for god-knows how long."

Now it's Sanford turn to question. "Out of curiosity Miss, so what were the books saying actually?"

"Well… let's start with the fact that I'm halfway on reading the first of five books with different topics. So far, its contents are rather uh… strange."

"Oh… 'kay… then what could be more stranger than magical dragons, elves, Roman armies, and unpolluted landscape?"

"Hmm… probably the written notes on many oral stories of this uh - 'Special Region' that were recorded in this hand-held work."

"So… what do these stories tell us about?"

"I don't have the whole picture yet, but I did see words in here like dark wizards, vampires, and uh… well, anything abominable."

"Uh… Mirenda, do you think we're going to face some really, nasty dark magic stuff in the near future?"

"I'm not so certain of that ever to happen… if ever."

"Wait… what do you mean by 'if ever?'"

"Well here's the weird part: the commentaries had said that the ghoulish monsters and other creatures with unholy magic were never seen again for ages. Additionally, those stories of abominations concluded with the appearances of uh, 'mages of black iron' that exterminated them, quite frankly."

"Oh… then I guess I can thank the duh… 'wizards in black' for taking care of that possibility."

Marlowe added, "Yeah, almost like those fictional agents from the ' _ **Men In Black'**_ alien movies. Don't you think?"

Rios answered, "Perhaps, but I'm more interested in the grammar structures presented on these books at the present time and making comparisons to our languages back on Earth."

"Well... good luck with that, Miss Lupin."

Inside the other American Humvee meanwhile…

"I sure wish I had some beef jerky," Haggard stated.

Sweetwater pondered, "You think it's gonna fall out of the sky if you say that enough?"

Redford and Gat laugh a little at the preposterous possibility.

Haggard replied, "I don't know. Strange things had happened back home in Texas. I mean… it rained frogs once."

"Huh… raining frogs sure sounds weird," Johnny agreed.

Sweetwater said otherwise. "Actually, it rained frogs frequently. What happen is that they get scooped up in the clouds when they're still spawn. Then they grow into frogs actually up there in the clouds." The rest of the crew pause at the explanation for some time.

Haggard break the silence shortly. "Did I say I think it rain frogs back there?"

"Yeah."

As the Coda convoy continue to move at a walking pace by the hours, unlucky breakdowns gradually sprang up among the wagons of the fleeing humans. The recon unit can surely deal with carriages stuck in the mud due to yesterday's rain, but it's another matter when horse-drawn carts were broken beyond repair.

Especially when a Starshina Dimitri Kamarov noticed a smoke column in the air ahead of him inside the BTR-82A, which occurs a few minutes after hearing again another mishap on a wagon. "RCT3 Actual, this is Starshina Kamarov speaking. Can you care to uh… explain that pillar of smoke I'm seeing right now?" requested the Russian officer thru the radio comms.

Youji answered, "Well… it used to be a family's wagon full of their possessions until its axle sadly shattered."

"So then… what was the reason for burning it all down?"

"Eh… was there any options available while being behind enemy lines and no back up?"

"Well, there is the suggestion of bringing in more trucks from our main base to help carry more of their… countless luggages."

"Ah… except for one drawback that you may have missed."

"Would that problem be the risk of attracting hostiles like bandits and Imperial soldiers to our positions; which could lead to a skirmish that then transform into a bigger battle that produce casualties from civilians being trapped in the middle, and thus signify our failure to win the hearts and minds of the local population as planned, right?"

"Oh… wow, I never expected you to accurately say something as similar to my thoughts on that solution."

"It's an educated guess based on the overall situation here and my military background, sir. Even so, it didn't change the fact that you just created a possible smoking trail for the Flame Dragon to follow!"

"Gah… now wait a minute! The family with the splintered cart refuse to leave their heavy valuables! And since their lives matters more, I had no choice but to convince them to burn what they can't carry on foot!"

"Was that supposed to be a joke, leytenant? I mean seriously, saving lives?! From my perspective concerning the bigger picture, your recent effort in 'saving' lives may actually compromised your very own gallant undertaking to escort the entire convoy towards a safer destination from the fire-breathing giant!"

"Uh… I don't think the dragon would like to smell the floating ashes from the burning possessions."

"RCT3 Actual… are you really that goddamn brain-dead?! The enormous animal is perhaps much smarter than you and anyone here take for granted! It may not like the smoke but the dragon could recognize the blaze as a possible clue to our whereabouts. Dear God, I can't believe you didn't remember the beast's behavior as it try to attack the American misfits!"

"Well… my team were more focused on evacuating the surviving elves to safety."

"Itami… enough of the excuses. The point is that we don't have any 'good' options for helping all the villagers at present, while in radio silence from our own coalition forces."

"Ugh… hear me out Kamarov. If I do ask for help right away, then what I will get instead is an order to abandon the fleeing civilians and return back to base immediately. In that situation, I would certainly obey that command despite my inner misgivings to forsake them to their fate alone. Which is why I'm not going to do that as the leader of this deep surveillance team being in charge with the villagers' well-beings. Thus, I would appreciate that you continue to maintain your tolerance on my actions at this moment. Is that clear?"

As the Russian officer contemplate, Sergeant Redford cut into the wireless conversation after hearing it from the sidelines. "Lieutenant Itami, is there still going to be a trail behind us without setting fire on something?"

"Um… well… if that meant the scattered luggages that the people can't take in or the individuals that are adamant to stay with their vast belongings; then maybe…"

"So in that case, we're always going to be followed by something or someone during this 'heroic' task! All that matters afterwards is how to react to such intrusion on the native convoy… or even us."

"Oh… uh, thanks for the advice Redford."

"Yeah… whatever, sir. Just let you know that our weapons need to be ready for an attack; dragon or otherwise."

"Got it, sergeant. Oh… and Starshina Kamarov, did I made myself clear to you?"

Dimitri responded, "Well… you're the commander in charge, leytenant. But don't count on luck alone to make things work as planned. Kamarov, out."

Two hours later, the number of functional carriages in the fleeing caravan was relatively smaller than before… under the blazing sun that is. Reciprocally, more of the refugees were walking on their shoes since several of their wagons became irreparable and eventually burnt down. As the prolonged march to safety put immense pressure on several villagers, the foreign escorts allow the too exhausted exiles to rest inside their vehicles whenever they could. Of course… the Russians were quite reluctant to enable the weary natives to relax within the BTR's interiors, at the risk of them playing and examining the high-tech weapons. Hence Itami's 'necessary' order to open the hatches for the refugees' sake.

Half an hour forward, the recon transport machines were pretty compacted with fatigued escapees inside.

Sweetwater then complained quickly about the very slow driving and poignant situation. "Man, this is no way of making a living!"

"You just gotta look at it from the bright side," Haggard suggested.

Redford wondered, "Oh, there's a bright side?"

"Well, that might be doing charitable work for the poor countryside folks… at the cost of several loots being thrown out for more space, you know." Gat expressed some of his disappointments while driving.

By some luck, the voice of a female dispatch officer was heard within Redford's personnel vicinity and at a lower tone. "Mike-One-Juliet to Bravo-One-Charlie, report."

"Bravo-One-Charlie here, no sign of the Flame Dragon so far. However, a number of the convoy wagons were already broken down beyond repair by weight stress and we have weary locals hitching a ride in our vehicles for a break from the very long walking." The African American whispered.

"Acknowledged, sergeant. I currently have visual on the refugee group through surveillance drone. From the looks of it, the caravan is heading northwards. Probably not directly to Italica or the northern towns but they are moving towards a paved highway that connects the two locations."

"Roger that, Mike-One-Juliet. Anything else, ma'am?"

"I'm done for now, Bravo-One-Charlie. I need to direct the UAV very soon to the undercover unit further north for updates. Mike-One-Juliet, out."

After that dialogue, the US army officer shortly noticed the curious natives and his eavesdropping subordinates looking at him.

"Special forces up north. Well that sounded somewhat convenient, don't you think Sarge?" Johnny commented.

Samuel said, "I don't think they will come here, Corporal. Whoever those operatives are would definitely stick to their primary objectives given by Command."

"It would be a nice change if they did help us though."

"Enough chit-chat for a while, Gat."

Another hour passed by and a few more horse-drawn carts shattered on the way; along with more local humans in need for rest… and a new section of the tired caravan growing behind the non-Japanese vehicles.

"Are we there yet, Sarge? Are we there yet?" George asked.

"Haggard… we got a few days of escorting the villagers to a safer place… at a slow pace… with no additional support. Remember?" Redford stated.

"Uh… yeah?"

"Then I'll say it again: No, we're not there."

"Agh… damn," the Texan expressed with dissatisfaction; although the children and some adults sitting inside the Humvee slightly laugh as a result of seeing him asking the same question several time like a bored child - albeit in English. "Are we there yet?"

The American sergeant mumbles in annoyance at the same silly question by the explosive expert again while virtually everyone very close by giggles.

The Asian-American slightly complained, "Kinda think about it, this long boredom of protection duty may actually makes me wanting to fight the fire-fucking dragon instead." The other soldiers turn their sight on the driver with some surprise.

Sweetwater reminded, "Unfortunately for us today, our bullets can't penetrate its red scales except for the eyes and the grenade launchers are more like harder BB pellets annoying a bear. The rocket launchers and recoilless rifles available with us may do the trick but they currently lacked guiding techs attached to them, which makes it harder to hit a moving target, and the few warheads we only had at the moment."

"Well… I'm sure it would be nice to have some more rockets, don't you think?!"

The redneck agreed, "Yeah, we would've if not for Sarge to say no on your suggestion back in camp."

"Or given an earlier chance to disregard Mirenda's deception plan."

"Quiet, you two!" Samuel shouted.

Inside the 8-wheeled APC, the Russian crew were being as patient as ever with the exhausted people resting inside the troop cabin and sometimes on top of the rear roof. They hardly converse with the Falmarian passengers other than Kirrlov holding the translation book and an alphabet set in Latin for investigating the natives' working knowledge. The female sniper remain alert on the refugees just in case one of them somehow manage to free Russian weapons, locked in securely or not. Personally though, Corporal Volkova appreciated the nice change of scenery from the more 'barbaric' events and recordings that her team witnessed back in Siberian missions while being camouflaged.

Around the same period, Starshina Kamarov continue to assess the migration situation on the move. Concerning the Russian master sergeant was the position of the foreign sun and the resting villagers when a battle with the Flame Dragon again commence. He notified the recon leader through radio. "Kamarov to RCT3 Actual, do you have a plan for the civilians ready for the next attack by the Flame Dragon?"

"Eh… why did you ask?" Youji puzzled.

"Well sir, the bright sun over the convoy is close to an ideal spot that the red-colored animal can use for a sneak attack. Additionally, having the noncombatants stay inside our vehicles while in active combat may not be -"

"This is Mike-One-Juliet to all nearby coalition units! Alert! Large unknown bogey spotted west of the convoy! It's red and closing in on the civilians! I repeat! Incoming Type-A threat inbound towards the convoy!"

"Boyevoy stantsii! Prover'te zapadnuyu storonu! Serzhant Kirrlov, evakuiruyte grazhdan iz BTR!" Dimitri yelled.

"Ponyal, ser!"

The US Army soldiers also acknowledged the widespread radio warning from the female officer and turn their weapons westward. However, the glare from the sun interferes the Americans' eyes for clearer line of sight.

Even when wearing hazmat helmets whose sensors on the armored visors didn't filter out the blinding light; and the slow photochromic transformation of the armored glasses as Specialist Rios finds out. "Damn, someone should remind the glass-makers about these transparent substances!"

"Or ask the depot for more photochromic goggles on situations like this!" Preston commented as he use the current goggles that are not exactly glare-proof. Yet a question appears in his mind as he look at the bewildered refugees still on the Humvee. "Hey Sarge, what should we do with the civilian passengers at this moment?!" asked the private now using the comms device.

Meanwhile, the JSDF personnel were baffled by the open channeled caution that the dispatch woman made.

"Uh… Mike-One-Juliet, what is the meaning of this?" Itami wanted an explanation.

"Well Recon Team Three Actual, I hate to interrupt your heroics but the airborne drone overhead has detected what seems to be your Flame Dragon west of the refugees! And it's movi- aw shit, the target just speed up towards the long trains! Look out!"

As he look around his left side as the front passenger, the recon commander soon saw a dark silhouette behind the dazzling sun… and rapidly approaching at a 60 degree angle. It quickly stop just above the middle part of the convoy; but its large wings consequently give out a powerful gust of wind that greatly lifted and incapacitated over a dozen carriages and the people surrounding them many yards eastwards. With many of the affected villagers injured or killed by the subsequent falls, the dragon landed on the ground and immediately began to devour the crippled and fresh corpses in its surroundings.

"Chūi! Doragon ga tōjō shi, rain no man'naka ga kōgeki o ukete iru!" One of the JSDF combatants (Private Sasagawa) noticed in the rooftop turret of the Komatsu LAV.

"To RCT3 Actual from Bravo-One-Charlie, our only option now is to drive that thing off! Over?!" The African-American alerted.

"Ah-roger that, Redford!" Youji quickly switch to all frequencies. "To all vehicles, we're gonna draw the dragon's attention away from the villagers! Kurikaesu! Watashitachiha murabito kara chūi o hiku tsumoridesu!" In quick session, the Japanese group prepared their weapons and drive the vehicles forward ahead to allow enough space for the refugees to not be accidently collided; and then turn right onto the open grassy plains for an area to redirect the beast's focus.

As for the supposed evac out of the US and Russian vehicles, well… about half of the local settlers were just too scared and/or disabled to mount off despite being convinced to get out in the native language. It also doesn't help that panicking refugees were in the way of bring the military transports immediately to a less-crowded spot to fight; without risking the chance of impacts on the hysterical masses. Nevertheless, they slowly move through the frighten civilians with the M2-mounted Humvee leading the way.

"I'm surprised that the red motherfucker didn't use its fire blast immediately this time!" Gat observed as the scaly behemoth gobbles up its 'meals.'

"Well, it might had to do with us messing up its dinner on the elves! And we're gonna do the same thing on its afternoon lunch!" Haggard exclaimed.

"Ladies, just concentrate on making that red lizard go away!" Redford shouted.

Sweetwater reminded, "But Sarge, there still civilians upfront that preventing us from going full throttle towards the-!"

"I damn know that, Sweets!"

Then the radios came alive. "Kōgeki o kaishi suru!"

"Huh?"

In seconds, volleys of bullets travel through the air and hit the fire-breathing giant. The dangerous animal looks at the source of the annoyance and see three JSDF machines firing their armaments from a long distance. Since it can't continue devour its preys while being harassed by gunfire, the dragon fly towards the fighting vehicles and prepares a fire attack at them.

"Kuso ̄ ! Koko de hinoiki ga kakatte kuru! Sakete kudasai!" Youji shouted. In the nick of time, they escape a direct flame blast from the big dragon. Yet it still flying in the sky and made a tight turnaround to face them. As the Japanese vehicle makes another gun-run, the reptilian creature then attempts a ground pound onto the moving automobiles with its arms and feet. The lieutenant yelled once more, "Kaihi kōdō! Furusupīdo!" Yet again, the giant beast missed its mark.

After landing however, the red animal shortly gaze its sight on half the faraway villagers that are fleeing to the north. It then redirect the only functional eye back to the foreign attackers. The fire dragon makes a roar and flies again in their direction subsequently. As usual, the self-defense personnel open fire at the airborne creature regardless of the rounds' ineffectiveness on the durable hide. Unexpectedly, the beast simply passed by them without attacking.

"Nani? Naze ima wa kōgeki shite inai nodesu ka?" The recon leader noticed. The soldiers turn around the vehicles again towards its flight.

After some distance, the behemoth turns to its left in a big circular path until it spot the motorized charge once more. When that happens, the scaly giant flies east and then circles back west perpendicular to the fast-moving war machines. It again initiate a flame assault at the JSDF unit.

"Chakko!"

The stream of fire blunders once more… but hitting the vehicles was not the dragon's intention. The flow of flame is soon manipulated to encircle the group in a wide, fiery-walled confinement as it is flying in a circle.

"Yabai! Watashitachiha wana ni tsutsuma rete imasu, shirei-kan!" Kurata exclaimed in shock. Like the rest of the Japanese soldiers including the lieutenant.

"This is Starshina Kamarov to Leytenant Itami, please respond!"

The Japanese leader quickly replied the wireless comms, "My team are still alive, Kamarov! But we're now imprisoned by the Flame Dragon's blazing walls!"

"Definitely a smart move by that high-level threat, admittedly! The Americans and my team has just made it through the panic civilians without incidents thankfu-..." Above the trapped soldiers was the red creature flying past them towards a certain direction. "O, sukin syn! That thing is now heading for the northern half of the convoy!"

Now that's a rude awakening for the Japanese combatants. "Ā... Kamiyo!"

In a relaxed state, the winged beast approaches closer to the front half of the refugees with renewed horror.

Unbeknownst to the enormous carnivore though, four newly arrived Land Rover Wolf vehicles and four FIM-92 Stinger launchers close by were positioned to rearguard the evacuees. When those missiles finally locked onto the animal's infrared signature, the human users unleashed them almost simultaneously. Before the airborne Flame Dragon could fully comprehend what these fast unknown projectiles are, all four warheads explosively hit it on the damaged left eye, right cheek, neck, and left upper arm. The received pain from those blasts has forced the animal to land prematurely, which coincide with the motorized attack from the machine guns and auto-grenade launchers installed onto the British transports.

"All Bravo Six squad, target the remaining eye to pin it down immediately!" commanded a captain with a peculiar ruffy mustache and beard (some grey hairs included).

With that attack order, bullets and grenades were ignited to strike the only working optical organ that the dragon is trying to protect; and to buy enough time for other incoming groups with heavy armaments to arrive and dish out the more powerful assaults.

The two Humvees of Bravo-One-Charlie and the BTR-82A are not part of that expected reinforcement however.

"Who the hell are those guys, Sarge?!" Marlowe asked.

Samuel answered, "How the hell should I know?! All that matters right now is to give the dragon another big pain in the ass! And remember, aim for the head without getting yourselves killed!"

Within range, the Russian APC fires high-explosive rounds from its 30mm autocannon while the US Army automobiles need to be nearer to use their M2 heavy machine gun and Mark 19 grenade launcher. The gunfire caught the attention of the British leader in one of the automotive Wolves.

"Bravo-Six-Actual to unknown friendlies, please identify yourselves!"

Responding the call was a male Russian voice, "We are currently part of the Third Reconnaissance Team… Price."

"Well dear Lord… I haven't heard your voice for some years since that Syrian quagmire, Kamarov. Are you in command anyway?!"

"The recon leader is actually JSDF Leytenant Itami, Bravo-Six-Actual. But the talking has to wait, though!"

"Acknowledged, just keep the wanker down!"

Despite some attempts by the dragon to burn these maneuverable intruders alive, it remain grounded by the persistent shooting of the allied units without any harm to the foreigners.

In one moving Humvee, Sweetwater has just finished loading a tandem-warhead into the M3 MAAWS weapon system. "Alright Sarge, the launcher is ready to-" a big bump on the tires causes him to accidentally drop the recoilless rifle onto the grassy plains. "Oh… shit!"

Haggard spotted the mishap while manning the Mk. 19. "You're shitting me, Sweets?! You lost the rocket launcher!?"

The American sergeant groan at the setback. "This is Bravo-One-Charlie here, we just dropped the Carl Gustav rifle out of the trunk!"

After hearing that, Preston inside the other Humvee look around and found the M3 MAAWS that was over a hundred meters away from the large beast on its left side. "I see it, Sarge! Sanford, drive by the launcher over there!"

"I'll give it a try, Marlowe!" Bobby complied. Once the armored car was near enough to the anti-armor armament, the US Army private opens the passenger door and then jumps out. "Uh… Sergeant Redford, Marlowe has just exit the vehicle!"

After rolling the ground with minor scratches, the 'new guy' ran towards the recoilless rifle. "Got the anti-armor launcher! Everyone, keep the dragon distracted while I'll fire it without warning!"

"Oh bugger… typical Yankee bravado!" said a cap-wearing special operative firing the roof-mounted L111A1 machine gun.

"Don't mind the American maverick yet, Gaz! We need to prohibit this danger much longer from flying before the heavy pounders come here!" Captain Price in the same car reminded his lieutenant.

Now in a kneeling stance with one knee, Preston aim the weapon's optical device at the irritated dragon. It kept failing to strike even one of the interfering vehicles, by claws or jets of flame. Ultimately, the reptilian 'monster' rotate its head to the right; which triggers the lone US soldier to shoot the tandem-warhead without a tip off to the sidetracked beast. When it move its head again to identify that unknown whoosh of air the animal heard, it's already too late as the anti-tank round hit the middle spot of the left upper arm. Due to the warhead's design to channel enormous energy through a single point, the resulting explosion blast apart everything related to that anatomical section - even the humerus arm bone. The Flame Dragon roar very loudly in pain at the loss of its left arm.

So loud that the coalition combatants have to stop moving and cover their ears.

"Bloody Hell! Does it had to be such an alarm clock?!" Gaz stated as he covers his hearing organs.

Suddenly, the ground below them shook. The following bewilderment among the allied soldiers gave the injured creature the chance to immediately flee the battleground by air. Sure enough, the damaged animal flies as fast as it can without attacking anyone else towards the Dumas mountain range. In one perspective, it's a victory in driving the dangerous organism away from the civilians.

On the other hand, a failure to eliminate the threat for good.

"God… damn," sighed the rather disappointed captain who soon turn on the communication equipment. "Mike-One-Juliet, this is Bravo Six Actual. The Type-A Tango has left the area. I'll say it clearly: the hostile dragon has fled the fight towards the Dumas Range, over."

"Roger that, Bravo Six Actual. I had seen the target fleeing the field through the surveillance drone. What's the status on the Type-A Threat though?"

"Madam, the flying bastard has its left arm severed by a Yankee recoilless launcher and several scales cracked by Russian 30 millimeter cannon and British Stinger missiles. Do you copy?"

"Copy that, sir. I'll inform the Kolesnitsa and Hawk squadrons on the latest update. And perhaps a heavy transport to carry the disconnected arm. Anything else to say, Captain Price?"

The British commanding officer look around and see some of the Americans giving compliments on their fellow squad-mate for his 'bad-ass' effort. "Yes I do, Mike-One-Juliet. How much do you know about the Third Deep Reconnaissance Team?"

Back to the trapped Japanese at the same time, they can't believed that someone else has seriously hurt the fire-breathing dragon (when they look at the sky to witness the fleeing beast with a missing arm). Regardless, the JSDF team need to figure out how to pass through the inflamed barriers without being burnt alive. Unexpectedly, a dark giant halberd crash landed on one part of the fire with such force that its shockwave break open the affected area on a wider scale. As a result, that fiery section was effectively extinguished for the vehicles to crossover safely. Before they do however, something else come from the sky and collided on the ground next to the recon team. For a closer analysis afterwards, the soldiers realized that it's a 'teenaged' woman wearing a dark medieval-style dress and some armor in tatters. Adhering to their humanitarian duties, the self-defense force personnel bring her inside the Toyota automobile and then exit the burning encirclement thru the stamped out terrain.

Several minutes ago within the forested elevations next to the city of Italica….

Two… unusual characters… were observing the urban activities of the fortified trading center. One was a feminine figure covered in dark green 'elvish' hooded robe and holding a high-tech binoculars onto her gray eyes (with flexible grey gloves and light-colored fabric concealing her nose and mouth). The other person was um… a black armored giant over six feet tall without showing exposures to… her identity (helmet, battle suit, Zerg-like traits, and all else). The monstrous looking entity had arrived yesterday ago by the use of her stealth and flight abilities to travel from the military base surrounding the Gate to the Folmari urban municipality… within hours under the cover of night. In comparison, the more elegant individual just casually walked to the fortress town last week.

They haven't made a vocal sound for this period of time by the looks of it. However, the two 'strangers' were actually having conversations with each other; through telepathic abilities at the moment.

"# So… why are we - as in you, me, and our Eldar pals hiding within the forest - here… again? #" The lady in the zergified nano-suit asked.

"# Well miss Matoi, the recruited armies of the vassal kingdoms are expected to meet around this city. #" The dark-skinned woman answered.

"# Duh… I think you missed to say: convinced them to gather their armies close to Countess Miyu's city for discussions on a command structure against the um… 'invaders' from the other side of the Gate. Right, Tamari? #"

"# On the mark as expected, Ryona. The undercover agents in the field, as I reminded you, did a good job of persuading the servant kings to converge their armies to this large town for sorting out 'battle' plans. #"

"# Eh… whatever! It will be a one-sided massacre if negotiators like you fail to deter an alliance of three hundred thousand from being walking target practices. #"

"# 276,900 at the most recent calculations. Thank goodness for the elephants being rescued already. #"

"# Or stolen by Eldar units; under the royal 'definition' for nobles anyhow. That being said on slaughter prevention, how does a super-powered mutant like me fit into this scheme? #"

"# That would be handling contingencies outside the secret plans for this military force of allied kingdoms. #"

"# Yeah… one of many backups for unexpected possibilities, isn't it? #"

"# Essentially, yes. #"

Abruptly, an earth tremor occurs at the Italica area for several seconds before the ground stop. Fortunately, the shaking is just at mild strength to not torn down the fortified town. Yet it made several locals and travelers to wonder about the ground movement. As well as the hidden foreigners in the elevated forest and the inner urban area.

Tamari pondered, "# Was that an earthquake or another ork impact being just made? #"

"# Honestly, I'm just as curious as the US Delta Force team still incognito. #" The human chimera commented.

Instantly, an Eldar ranger came in provide some news about the tremor in telepathy. "# Ms. Thorayja, your 'Terran' friends in orbit had informed us about a massive explosion that appears to destroy the orkoid landing site further southeast of our position. It might clearly be the source of that recent shaking. #"

"# I appreciate the update, ranger. Any sign of survivors, though? #" The grey-eyed lady requested.

"# I highly doubt that any mortal be- #" The sniper and everyone else within the woodlands soon hear a faint… scream. "# Uh… what's that sound? #"

The vague screaming steadily became audible enough for the covert forces on the elevations to recognize that custodian… robotic… voice.

Matoi exclaimed inside her helmet with much… foreboding, "Oh… fucking HELL NO!"

Surely enough, they can now see a yellow object (with that unforgettable yell for dear life) falling from the sky… and then crashed hard into a two-storied tavern. Clouds of dust and smoke came upwards from the hole on the roof, the main door, and open windows. When the smoggy particles subsided, the customers and servants can clearly see an upside-down yellow boxy… 'thing' that had made a crater on the first floor.

"Oww!" The one-eyed droid eventually orient itself upright to look at the confused people around him. "Hellooo, medieval simpletons! I am a former CL4P-TP custodian bot but now a FR4G-TP combat prototype. But I am often named as Claptrap the Fragtrap for short."

The problem was that no one in this building didn't quite understand the current language that the robot just said.

But Claptrap resume talking without the realization though. "Well… maybe not Fragtrap today if it weren't for the device on my head that locked away all my super-awesome powers. But it did reactivate my computerized interactions and open door protocols! Something that you guys have no idea how they work! Anyway though, where exactly am I right now?"

Hours into the evening back at the former Flame Dragon attack location….

The makeshift burial of the dead by hand and shovel is finally done. All that's left now are prayers to the deceased (or what's left of them) amidst the small violet orbs that has just glow all over the place. Together, the foreign soldiers and attending refugees begin their diverse mourning customs for those in the graves.

As time goes by during the ceremony, a boy started to cry uncontrollably due to the loss of his entire family: father, mother, sister. Hearing that commotion behind is Lieutenant Itami, who turn around and being surprised to see the same weeping child that got hurt in the Coda cart wreck incident yesterday. Sadness first appears in Youji's expression, then he close his eyes to reflect the terrible luck that the boy had experienced… and the context that it represent (almost like the predicaments he had with his parents in his youthful past - except it's more inner demon than a physical threat). Shortly later, he slightly made a smile with a bit of will to ease the child's great sorrow and opens his own eyes. The JSDF officer walks to the grieving child and give a gentle hand touch on the boy's head. Soon, the crying orphan hugs Itami's right leg.

While the lieutenant put the other knee on the ground to comfort the little guy, Kurokawa and Kuribayashi nearby looked at the scene behind them. Mari has both feelings of cheerfulness at her commander's humanity… and unhappiness on the boy's displacement despite her previous check-up with him back in Coda Village. "I can't believe how sad it was to see one survivor of a family that I once treated not long ago," said the medic in Japanese.

For Shino however, that sad part has brought up some memories of a family member whose life was ended abruptly… despite having pathetic hobbies in her point of view. "It's probably just as hard in missing a chance to say goodbye, when you didn't expect your love ones to die so soon… regardless of how much trouble they present themselves."

Kurokawa instantly notice the dishearten expression related to a particular casualty way back to the Ginza Incident. "Oh… my apologies, I didn't think that this-"

"I'm okay, Sergeant Kurokawa. It can't be helped that the sadness tonight reminds me of a sibling that had a life… before the Gate opened in Tokyo."

"Sorry."

After finishing the burial rites, the human refugees walk back to the caravan with the fact that the Flame Dragon is not coming back to kill them. What's also not returning to the convoy though, are the children and elderly that had their family destroyed by the flying beast; along with other villagers that had lost all of their possessions and those being too injured to move with the group. When asked by the allied officers about those being left behind, the village chief sadly tell them that the migrating civilians can't spare the limited resources they currently have for those that don't. Otherwise, the villagers as a whole would end up too exhausted to even move and/or starving to death without even setting upon the safer settlements. Still, the older man gives his thanks to the 'men in green' for their protection from the Fire Dragon and wishes the outworlders luck on their final decisions to help the vulnerable group or not.

As the native caravan depart for their destinations, the coalition soldiers wave their farewells at the villagers. Later, the JSDF commander and other nearby military personnel change their attention to the displaced locals who were feeling nervous on their fate.

"So lieutenant, what's your order on them?" Redford asked.

"Well um..." Before Youji conclude a task, someone with a British accent did say something.

"Leaving the poor folks behind in such conditions doesn't sound so chivalrous or civilized from a humanitarian point of view. Now would it, LT?"

"Oh... you really think so, Captain Price?" Itami asked.

"What's with that bloody look on your face? Do you have your own answer for this dilemma?"

The Japanese officer scratch his head a bit until he come to a resolution. "Hmm... eh, whatever! More refugees, right? They can come with us back to Alnus Base and under our greatest care!"

Some of the soldiers are a bit more reserved in taking in the refugees while others are slightly more proud to do that. The available translators give the good news to the remaining exiles who then feel quite optimistic. Also hearing that was the black-dressed 'young' adult with her giant melee-weapon and the two mages with their wagon still in working order.

As Youji gave a peace sign hand signal for the displaced humans, he heard a chuckle next to him and turn to see the female medic smiling at him with her eyes closed. "U ̄ n, yā! Anata wa nani o waratte iru nodesu ka?!" The lieutenant puzzled in a surprised expression.

Sergeant Kurokawa state, "Nani mo, anata wa sore o iu ki ga shita."

He smirked back, "Mite, anata wa watashi ga ningen-tekida to omou!" Abruptly, he and the rest of the coalition group heard the sounds of helicopters coming towards them. Eventually, they catch the sight of an Mi-26 and a CH-53E heavy transport helicopter.

John Price look at the airborne machines and said, "Well, that took those chaps a while to get here."

XXXXXXX

Kato El Altestan and Lelei La Relani are looking at one of the glass windows while inside the Super Stallion chopper (now in the air) and accompanied by U.S. marines, a masked British operative codenamed 'Ghost' from the SAS unit, the Russian sergeant Oleg, Chicana specialist Mirenda,... and their cart and donkey that managed to get in. It would had never happen if the magicians didn't express their curiosity enough on the foreigners' vehicles, weapons, and the soldiers themselves. Not to mentioned the mages' realization that these people 'in green' actually came from another world thru the mystical Portal/Gate and the reciprocal feedbacks that both side received (particular for Kirrlov and Rios listening to the knowledge of the mysterious gateway that the older sage had available based on an old colleague's research that he heard from time to time). Hearing these revelations consequently, the British captain decided to accept the scholars' request to come to the militarized Alnus Hill and called in the extra transport helicopter to carry their loaded wagon.

Which is where they are a few hours later.

": _Well, I would had never imagined myself being inside a big flying contraption from another world like this!_ :" The old wizard commented.

The female apprentice added, ": _It's also amazing to think that this_ 'helicopter' _is not even powered by magic._ :"

": _The same as those metal cylinders from those strange staves that you picked up?_ :"

": _Most likely at this point. From my analyses on those discarded objects, there were burnt soot lining the interior spaces of these small tubes and the faint smells associated with alchemical reactions by fire. Therefore, I believed that something combustible must be poured into these cylinders and sealed it with a solid projectile. All that's left now is to figure out how to ignite such energy source to launch one of those small bolts at high-speed_.:"

": _Ha, ha... that's quite a good answer on those mysterious wands, Lelei._ :"

": _Too good, if you ask me._ :" Oleg said; considering that he and the Mexican-descended soldier heard the native conversation very clearly.

The magic-users turn their sight on the six-feet-tall Russian. ": _Am I actually correct about your uh... weapons_?:" The platinum blonde questioned as she recognized the significance.

Sergeant Kirrlov just stare at them without a word. Meanwhile, Mirenda has something in her mind to ask. ": _I have a question for you, Ms. Relani. Had you ever handle uh... 'volatile' compounds before_?:"

": _Is this related to substances inside your weapons?_ :"

": _Well... that, and any alchemical stuff that can kill you if mismanaged._ :"

": _Hmm... in truth, the dropped metal tubes are my only experiences on dangerous alchemy; although the blacken soot are inert enough to do no harm._ :"

Kato then stated, ": _I like to add that we remained scholars for the study of the natural world, including magic of course, for the time being. Even so, I did heard words from the various magical academies and research laboratories about some powders or ingredients that could uh_...:"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... wait a minute. Ahem... : _You're saying that there are already compounds in this magical world that could go_ kaboom, bang, pow _, fireball blast, or blow up under the right conditions? Like our '_ explosions _' we made_?:" The British soldier interrupted.

"Uh... ex-plo-sions?"

": _It's a good possibility, but these unstable substances were said to be found very far from our current location._ :" The female mage answered.

": _How far, miss_ :?" Ghost asked.

": _I would say thousands of leagues away. Or to be more precisely, at the western and eastern far corners of this large continent_.:"

": _Well young lady, let's hope that knowledge is still relevant at this present time_.:"

Also flying at night near the CH-53E is the Mi-26 carrying the Flame Dragon's amputated left arm by ropes and cables. Both are heading back to the fortified holy hill.

Hours into the daylight morning of the next day...

The vehicles of the Third Recon Team and Bravo Six have just park on the asphalt pavement of the main fortifications surrounding the enchanted portal; and next to a selected headquarter building that the officers had to report. Aside from the displaced Coda refugees in the allied transports, the elvish convoy are also with the reconnaissance troops after meeting them again near the edge of the coalition occupied zone's outer perimeters. Obviously, the display attracted the nearby curious personnel of the allied fort. The commanding officers soon come out of the motorized machines and instruct the rest of the combined unit to stay with the natives; while they walk towards the designated structure. That didn't actually worked on Private Haggard and Corporal Gat however, so they decide to go along with the African-American Sergeant as the other international squad leaders enter the HQ edifice.

Inside the picked room of the building are four major officers and waiting for their leading subordinates to come: Japanese, American, Russian, and British.

The first to enter the prepared space is JSDF first lieutenant Youji Itami. "Nē, mejā Higaki! Mōichido o ai shite ureshīdesu!"

"Sono bakageta kao o watashi ni ataete wa ikenai, chūi! Anata wa anata no saigo no shimei ni tsuite motto oshietekudasai!"

"Sate, osoraku watashi wa-"

"Matte, Itami! Hoka no subete no shōkō ga saisho ni kuru yō ni suru hitsuyō ga arimasu."

Next is the US Army sergeant Samuel Redford. "Sergeant Redford here to report, sir!"

Major Crawford stated, "At ease, soldier." He then notice two of the Sarge's subordinates coming in. "I didn't remember you GIs being called here."

"Eh, don't care. Beside, I cannot speak the lingua franca for the young kids back in the trucks."

"Behave yourself, Gat." Redford commanded.

Finally, the Russian master sergeant and British captain enter the room and salute their respective superiors. Afterwards, the lower-rank servicemen answer the majors' debriefings on the more open reconnaissance and British undercover operation later on. That includes the visits to the human villages, unofficial car racing, the first battle with the Flame Dragon at the elf village, escort duties on the surviving elves, evacuation of Coda Village to safety, second battle with the same behemoth, rescuing the discarded inhabitants, and the intelligence gathered by the Special Air Service unit during their ground-level surveillance on the opponent's roads, troop and supply movements, and civilians.

When the interviews were done, the questioned soldiers wonder about penalties due to their actions.

Crawford gives an answer. "Personally, I would have sent you guys to disciplinary regimes right on this military zone or back in one of our bases on Earth. However, the allied generals had elected to accept the refugees on humanitarian efforts. Therefore, the Japanese members of the Third Recon Team and Bravo-One-Charlie of the 222nd Armored Battalion B-Company are ordered to take responsibilities for the welfare and observation of the local exiles for now."

"So... am I supposed to be in charge of the refugees?" The otaku lieutenant puzzled.

An irritated Higaki responded, "Sōda, baka. Anata wa koko ni tsurete kimashita. Dakara... KARERA NO SEWA O SURU!"

"KASHIKOMARIMASHITA!" Youji then immediately leave the room, which leaves the rest rather dumbfounded.

"Ugh... watashi wa sono taidana hito to nani o suru tsumoridesu ka?" The exhausted JSDF major sighed with all two hands on his forehead.

The US Army major resumed, "Alright gentlemen, you're dismissed!"

"Sir!" The remaining subordinates saluted before they turn around to leave (Captain Price, Starshina Kamarov, Sergeant Redford, and the two rejects in that order).

Haggard asked as the duo walk to the door, "So, who are they?"

Gat replied, "Well, there's a Higaki that the otaku leader kinda fucked up, a Russky Zahkaev and a Flaskeg Brit that I don't fucking know, and then comes this Crawford guy that I might throw shit at."

"Uh, are they important somehow?"

"Why should I fucking care? I may forget their names and whatever shit they said to us the next day."

"Kinda think about, I don't remember our major's name back there."

The American misfits made their way out... without seeing the now incensed Crawford that the other officers in the room took notice.

Within a commandeered temple complex in Shanghai, China one day later...

An old man with graying hair, wearing a green jacket with military badges, and holding a cane looks at the multiple video displays of the many buildings that are part of this 'Pearl of the Orient.' Beside him are armed men in ballistic armor guarding their leader. On a table in front of this man is a laptop that he use to send commands to many of his employees and associates spread all over the city.

Such as detonating all the implanted explosives inside the many skyscrapers and locations on the fortieth day of his mercenary army's stay in Shanghai.

Or relaying warnings on the incoming typhoon that is heading for this metropolis just a few days prior.

And on this day, the Category-Five tropical cyclone has made landfall onto the city. The swirling strong winds and clouds hammer the man-made structures... and the surveillance cameras across the urban landscape that his private contractors had stealthily hijacked during their hired deals with the Shanghai city government and corporations for protection.

The reasons for contracting the PMCs: the horrifying deaths of many people in the thousands. Unofficially, hidden evidences indicated that these citizens were brutally killed for having strong desires on body parts from endangered wildlife for illegal profit and so-called 'traditions' at the great cost of the species themselves and long-term benefits for the rest of humanity. The enormous death toll also includes those involved in supplying the outlawed and super-rare commodities and the criminals that had protected the destructive trade... in the shadows or public positions. And despite the best effort by their local police and military force for many months, the perpetrators of such terrible acts still remained at large (aside from rumors, pictures, audio recordings, and videos of these supposed 'violators').

Of course, there were nearby coal-driven power-plants that got attacked several months ago. Nevertheless, those facilities were becoming less relevant to the city's electric needs due to the increased installations of renewable-powered generators outside and inside Shanghai; along with a strong demand for getting rid of the thick air pollution emitted by the fossil-fueled stations.

Speaking of which though, there are dozens of cities and towns in mainland China that had received similar assaults related to the detrimental black market and unsustainable resources in the past months. Several of them had went under martial law by the military to try to apprehend the unknown attackers, but the results came up empty after the government suspensions were lifted.

Another option would be the use of private military contractors to safeguard their cities. Sometimes in cooperation with the army and sometimes on their own.

Jonah Wade's Fortieth Day Initiative was one of the more recent mercenary groups to be hired for security.

It's also the name for the more sinister scheme that the merc leader had planned for many years since his discharge from the US military force... decades ago. And that plan is about two days away from being initiated.

At present moment however, he had to wait for the storm to move on as several of the displays get very fuzzy by the clouds or the intense winds destroying many of the cameras.

After a few hours, the typhoon finally move further inland and away from the weather-battered metropolis. Jonah look once more at the visual screens that shows the damage on the urban landscape: water-filled streets, broken windows, and piles of debris all over Shanghai. He then uses the communicate equipment to check on his deployed 'troops' throughout the city. Everything being heard seem to be all fine.

Except for one uninvited matter.

"HQ, we got an hold of two unknown intruders on the bottom of the main stairway; leading towards your vicinity. What are your orders?" One PMC notified through the radio.

The commander demanded for info. "What do they look like?"

"Both have some sort of enclosed combat helmets and heavy armor suits. Like some attempted knockoff of that TALOS concept cooked up in the American special forces."

"Hmm... you are clear to terminate them."

[BOOM!] An loud explosion occurs at a cordon-off interior door that is next to the granite stairs leading to the confiscated comms room. Soon after the loud boom, a flash-bang grenade is thrown into the center of the space and then explode. With the mercenaries further disoriented, two figures in fully armored suits open fire their weapons at the heavily-armed guards. Bullets may not have penetrated the heavies' body armor, but they can sure pierce through the PMCs' skulls once their loose helmets are knocked away. Once those shotgun heavy combatants are dead, one of the advanced-armored intruders immediately detain the male senior on the ground and face-down.

"HVT apprehended, Section 3-2!"

"Keep an hold on him, Crosby!"

With Wade now tied up and lying on the stone floor, the other captor soon move to the laptop and insert an unknown flash-drive stick into the computer's USB port. After that, the armored individual uses a wrist-mounted device to hack the laptop thru the attached piece for criminal evidences and secrets inside. As well as shutting down the scattered explosives and target beacons in all of Shanghai; and sending in the message that the '40th Day' experiment is abandoned and orders to dismantle those other demolition charges that were installed old-school-style.

"What do you think you have just accomplished, soldier?" asked the old man.

The bullet-proof hacker answered back, "Saving the 25 million people of Shanghai from your insane plan, Mister Wade."

"All you did was delaying the inevitable judgments on their unrestrained self-indulgence under these so-called 'laws' and 'governments' worldwide."

"And your solutions to make them realize their own disgracefulness were by endangering so many innocents in the process?!"

"Innocents, you say? They're nothing more than 'beasts,' waiting to become completely selfish and infinitely ignorant whenever the governing fabrics of every 'advanced' society are torn apart."

"Is that your real goal... becoming an **American** dictator on foreign soil?!"

"No... I'm just a broken man willing to burn an entire city to expose the moral decay that is happening to every society that have forgotten about 'honor' and 'sacrifice' for the greater good!"

Having enough with this twisted monologue from Jonah and finally completing the computer hack, the cyberspace-warrior begins radio contact with the other two-men team. "Section 3-2 here. Crosby and I have captured the Package and finished hacking his data, over."

"Roger that, Section 3-2. Me and Section 3-3 are now at the main gate near your position. We'll proceed to the extraction point at the open inner plaza together, copy?"

"Copy that, Section 3 Actual. Opening the main door now." The soldier go to the big door, unlock it, and open the entrance while his teammate carries the old captive. Waiting for them are two armor-suited operatives with their firearms. As one unit, the fire-team move down to the major stairway and pass through other temple structures and smaller open spaces in order to reach the next rendezvous site.

While also having armed mercenaries trying to delay their movement. "Looks like these guys didn't get the memo to stand down. Right, Gutierrez?" Section 3-3 commented as he fight back the private military contractors.

The leader replied, "Harper, just push forward until we reach the plaza! Got it?!"

"Got it, sir!"

After the navigating the religious complex and shooting back at the hired guns for some time, the fire-team in their grayish TALOS prototypes at last reach the bigger plaza of the wide-scale shrine.

Which is now filled with more mercs and several professional killers in heavy armor and firing powerful weapons like gatling guns, grenade launchers, and flamethrowers at the uninvited guests.

"Shit, these fuckers mean business!" Harper shouted while behind cover.

Pedro commanded, "Section 3, clear the landing area for our ride!" Once again, the black-ops agents have to terminate the incoming mercenaries with tactical maneuvers, firepower, knives, or even hard fists in close-range. Due to the heavies' tougher protection however, the special force unit often uses their experimental Storm Piercing-Shot-Rifles that utilizes 'Metal Storm' technology to penetrate through the thick armor... or dropped rocket and grenade launchers from the 'neutralized' enemies.

By sheer luck or the well-made designs of the armored exoskeletons in trial phase, the fire-team have cleared the area of all threats in the vicinity in less than twenty minutes. Arriving at the scene, just in time, is a stealth-modified Blackhawk helicopter that is making its landing with haste. "Spirit 8-3 here to Section 3 Actual, get inside!"

Once the transport heli touches the ground, the armor-suited soldiers with their captured prisoner quickly head to the Blackhawk's interior cabin. Soon, they're all on board and the stealthy chopper lift up from the plaza immediately. Lieutenant Commander Gutierrez relays the news to his commanding officer in charge by radio. "This is Section 3 Actual to Kraken, mission accomplished. Package secured and returning to base, over."

"Loud and clear, Section 3 Actual. Good work in getting that crazy old cocksucker. I'll see your team again ASAP, out."

While inside the airborne vehicle, Mike takes a look at the flooded city-scape affected by the natural disaster. "Damn, that typhoon has sure beaten up this place. At least the people here won't be part of a derange-minded veteran's social experiment. Isn't that right, Mr. Wade?" The soldier then noticed a smirk by Jonah. "Hey... what's with that face, you old geezer?"

The pilot soon spoke, "Uh, we got a big problem. Multiple unknown bogeys has been picked up by our radar."

"Bogeys? What's their position and tally?" Sub-lieutenant Mason asked.

"From 12 to 3-o'-clock of our position and east of Shanghai. Their signatures are counted to about... uh, hold on."

"Pilot, what's the matter?"

"Well, the number of unknown craft has um... increased to abo-"

The other copilot alerted, "Heads up, unidentified objects in visual range!" Far away in front of the secretive helicopter in flight are Bái Lóng/White Dragon twin-jet planes with swing-wing air-frames... in the hundreds flying towards the city. Following that flock in seconds are hundreds more of bomber aircraft resembling the MiG-37 'Ferret' concept and fast Fènghuáng/Phoenix delta-wing airplanes that look like the one in a movie called " **Firefox**." Behind the fast-movers are the numerous rotor-crafts such as the Láng/Mantis co-axial attack helicopters, Helix counter-rotating heavy transport with 'troops' inside, and the big Bixi twin propeller-powered heavy-duty VTOL vehicle carrying infantry or a few armored ground vehicles (along with their larger cousins having four tilt-rotors each and more tanks and/or bipedal combatants in the enlarged cargo hull).

"What the hell? Who are those guys?! And why do they look something like Chinese or Russian aircraft for fuck sake?" Harper stated as the weird incoming units pass by the hurried stealth chopper.

"Uh... sir, we got unknown vessels in our sight that are definitely neither Chinese or Russian," notified by one of the pilot to the passengers. Within the humans' view are dozens of armed airborne warships and unknown 'seafaring' vessels heading for the metropolis. Noticeable among them are two enormous 'carrier' ships in the sky that dwarfs the rest of this fleet (the other two are at the southeast sea location of Shanghai).

Then something dawn on Mike's mind. "Holy... shit, are they like the same ones appearing in our backyards?!"

The captured war-veteran slightly laughed, "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... so they just move into the wrecked city anyway in the end, even if my 'test' on society had been commenced."

Harper looks at him with irritation. "Alright you discharged nutjob, you better tell us what you know about these 'alien' bastards once we're back to HQ."

As the undercover helicopter exits the boundaries of Shanghai and flies past the hovering ships toward the sea, fixed-wing aircraft soar above the city's skyline while the transport rotorcraft unload their ground forces onto the rooftops of the various buildings and/or wide-open spaces for vehicles to move out. This land 'invasion' is composed of robotic soldiers in red and green armor pattern using ballistic firearms and mobile military machines like the single-barreled Warlord/Jūnfá MBTs, ZS10 Telker air-defense tracked vehicles, long-ranged Wéichéng/Siege SPGs containing non-nuclear shells, and Bùduì Lǚdài/Troop Crawler APCs that sometimes carry micro-bot swarms inside their cabins for dismantling in-placed demolition charges... or confiscating illegal items in the underworld market.

The urban inhabitants still reeling from the typhoon are in a confused state as they look at the alien ships moving closer to their city and the widespread movement of these anonymous war machines and armed 'robots' that distribute themselves on many areas of Shanghai. After establishing their extensive presence on the 'Pearl of the Orient,' the unidentified intruders start their patrols all across the Chinese metropolis. Strangely to the locals however, the occupying forces hardly trigger a shot at the general population as they move from one place to another. The exceptions from such restraints are raids on the remaining 'traditional' shops and criminal hideouts that still sell controversial products from irreplaceable animals; and deadly gunshots in reactions to the police, military personnel, mercenaries, gangsters, and anyone else who just let their aggressive instincts take over and fight non-stop (from small-arms to rocket-propelled grenade launchers) on the supposed trespassers that seems to have no regards to which property they step on.

Signals from the city police stations, military facilities, and news media centers are being broadcasted about this unexpected incident. For the self-controlled PMCs on the other hand, they pack up their equipment and then made their withdrawal of the disaster-struck urban area without stirring up trouble. Still, there are other mercenaries who attempt to form contracts with these occupiers. Particularly for the hired soldiers in the Fortieth Day Initiative being aware of these foreign interlopers for many days and whose mastermind has been very recently out of the picture.

Around the same time at a nuclear missile launch facility in the United States...

Several military staff are watching and commenting the latest news on the only television set inside a building that is within the fenced perimeter that is slightly far away of the three missile silos. They include the large presence of the mysterious robot army along the U.S. - Mexico borders, a substantial fleet of 'spaceships' hovering the two 'New World' continents, seizures on the great deal of prison facilities across America by the same alien forces, the North Korean incursion, violent vigilante assaults in the South Asian subcontinent by unknown assailants, and the recent occupations of Shanghai and other Chinese urban centers that were battered by the natural catastrophe.

"Hey Jerry, do you think a civil war was brewing in China?"

"I'd let the Chinese deal with their own problems for now, Nathan. I'm more concern with the real intentions of these guys on our home turf."

"Yeah... this kind of invasion on the USA is atypically weird. I mean, their vehicles looked like something that resembles our military; aside from having more futuristic stuff. Another strange aspect is them not going all gun brazing as inva-"

Siren alarms instantly reverberates the habitable structure, causing the faculties to quickly get to their battle-stations. Also in an instant however, great tremors shake the floor of the building and made the staff lose balance in the rush (along with a boom sound). Followed immediately are the dust clouds and gust coming into the wooden edifice. After the dust settled and the personnel stand up though, the Americans immediately heard buzzing noises nearby. It turns out that those sounds belongs to swarms of darken micro-bots rapidly moving towards the electronic equipment that controls the launch process of the intercontinental ballistic missiles; above and below ground. The insect-like masses swiftly bypass the staff members and open the hatch that leads to more electronics with powerful collective strength. Once in contact, the tiny drones tear the computer machines methodically and/or insert digital codes inside to disrupt the initiation sequences necessary for the ICBMs to take off... or disarm the warheads.

"Oh shit! We need to do something now! And somebody must send word on Command about this, ASAP!"

Simultaneously, separate nano-enhanced swarms from the recently crashed stealth-cruise missiles had unlocked the protective hatches; which ushers in pathways towards the atomic weapons themselves and the electronic systems that controls their potential launch. After going inside, the micro-bots proceed to wreck havoc on the military assets to render them unusable; by cyber-hacking, physical sabotage, or both in tandem. When that objective is finished, the collective groups then encase the missiles within some-sort of tough techno-organic matrices that the 'extraterrestrials' could take control.

And there hundreds of active ICBM sites in the United States being attacked at that moment...

Along with more stealth assaults being underway to 'decommission' almost two thousand more nuclear missile launch facilities actively located in Russia, China, India, and Pakistan.

Although not possibly hitting all of them at once on this period of time.

* * *

 **I can't really tell if that last campaign map from Army of Two: The 40th Day was fictional or more based on an actual temple.**

 **If any of you want to make reviews and potential corrections/changes here (serious or otherwise), go ahead.**

 **[If no replies for months again]: Ugh... so... lonely.**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Feedback:**_

 _ **To eperdomorock: Thank you for the compliment. (**_ _ **Gracias por el cumplido.)**_

 _ **To S31tora: Hmm... the crossover story was mainly GATE: Thus the JSDF was There; and Battlefield: Bad Company at the start. Yet one should see elements from different franchise media like Saint's Row, Call of Duty, Tom Clancy's, Command and Conquer, Ace Combat, Metal Gear, Warhammer 40000, Borderlands, and Army of Two. Such mixture was also seen within my fanfic 'synthetic race' from a different universe with its unique history.  
**_

 _ **Aside from that, anything else trademarked/copyrighted in the overall story belonged to their rightful owners. And that includes ideas from Bungie's Halo and Destiny franchises; along with shoutouts from Firefly television series. As well as exported/renamed characters from "Gate: And Thus We Burned Another World" by fanfiction user Bagration; and names borrowing from "GATE: Thus the Van Doos fought there" by Goodalwayswins98.  
**_

* * *

At the recently finished refugee site, southwest of Alnus/Arnus military base...

" _:Hey, gather please! We're registering your names!:_ " Sergeant First-Class Kuribayashi loudly called. Just behind her were Sergeant 1st-Class Kurokawa sitting next to a table with blank list papers, Private Marlowe at another table with the same paper forms; and behind the two were First Lieutenant Itami, Sergeant Kuruta holding a camera, Sergeant Redford, Private Sweetwater, and Private Haggard (all standing on the ground).

Hearing the call, the refugees come out of the newly fabricated housings (completed yesterday) for the registration. Although the elves continually use the donated tents separate from the humans for habitation, while they built their new village within the forest and near the river. They line up at the two tables to have their names, age, and other background knowledge.

First group to be logged are the Coda villagers…

Along with the two mages.

" _:I am Kato El Altestan, a sage from the Lindon Magic Academy of Rondel. The young lady besides me is my disciple, Lelei La Relani.:"_

After writing that down, Mari asked for their age. " _:And how old are you two?:"_

The silver-haired apprentice answered, " _:Master Kato is about sixty-seven years old, while I'm around the age of nineteen.:"_

With the humans registered some times later, the next group to come are the elves.

" _:My name is Hodaro Ray Mariceau, chief of my people from Koan Forest and currently 900 years of age.:"_

Well… that's quite a shocker for the military personnel that can understand the local language at the present location. After that comes a female elf, the same one that Private Marlowe saved from the Flame Dragon as he remembered.

" _:Uh… I'm Tuka Luna Mariceau, daughter of Hodaro Mariceau as you might know… :"_

Preston and the other linguistic-trained soldiers are surprised to hear such revelation.

" _:And I'm a hundred sixty-nine years old. Eh… I would also like to thank you brave soldiers for saving what's left of my people and me, personally.:"_

Several of the allied personnel then look at the American 'new guy.' "Uh… why are you guys looking at me like that?"

Upon recognizing the face of the soldier that got her out of the well while being unconscious, the elvish lady began to blush. " _:Oh, ah… uh… I-I am very grateful for rescuing me, sir!:"_

As the female elf leaves, Sweetwater and Haggard soon tease Preston in good nature. Itami and Kurokawa chuckled a bit at the ribbing while Kurata seeing all of that scene is feeling rather um… jealous.

'Well… at least there some silver-linings to this uh… dorkiness,' Shino thought as she looked at both the otaku's slight envy and the somewhat immature compliments on the American private.

In all, all the 'adult' humanoids are over a century old and above thirty years for the kids(except for the babies).

The last one to be recorded is the black-wearing 'lady' with her large halberd. " _:The name's Lori Mercurius. A servant of Emloy, God of War and Darkness.:"_

The coalition personnel turn their sights on each other in confusion; considering this native's affiliation with duh… darker subjects. Mari then asked, " _:Ah… Miss Mercurius, do you want to reveal your age?:"_

Lori smirked, " _:Hmm… I rather keep my age a mystery to you outsiders for now. Thanks for your concerns, though.:"_

With the religious 'servant' leaving, the Japanese and Americans review the refugee list.

George can't help but wondered, "Uh… guys, does anybody has a guess of how old that young gal with the big ax is?"

Youji gives a try. "Well Haggard… she doesn't look older than eighteen, right?"

"Wrong, Sir Itami."

Every allied soldier direct their attention to the woman that just spoke English, which happens to be Lelei.

"I'll be damn… you can actually understand what we're saying?" commented the Texan.

"Uh… sort of. Not yet fluent with your two languages, though."

The Japanese lieutenant said, "Ā... Daijōbu, Lelei. Tonikaku, anata wa Lori ga kodomo dena i koto o anji shimashita. Hai?"

"Eh… sore wa jissai ni wa kakkotaru jijitsudesu. Shisai wa, haruka ni, haruka ni ōku, haruka ni furuidesu."

The perplexity among the servicemen and women is still there. Sweetwater tries a clearer question, "So uh… ma'am, how old is she exactly?"

The female mage stare at Terrence for several seconds with the same blank facial expression. Then she turn her head at Lori playing with the orphaned children. Many seconds later, the apprentice looks back at the foreigners. Now with signs of uneasiness. "Uh… don't want to know. I cannot ask, too scary."

Redford exhaled, "Ah, fine. We'll write it as unknown for that grim reaper wannabe."

Marlowe agreed, "Sure thing, Sarge."

Not a moment too soon, a Cougar MRAP has entered the refugee zone and then parked alongside the JSDF Toyota and US Army Humvee automobiles in front of the camp site. Coming out of it are Specialist Rios, Corporal Gat, Private Sanford, Sergeant Kirrlov, and two new soldiers.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, is that why you're sent to this bunch of hell-raisers, Sanford?! As in you, fucked up in repairing a whole platoon of tanks?! Heh, heh, heh!" laughed the Asian-American.

"Yeah… I don't see anything funny about that mishap, Gat."

"Well, suit yourself Bobby! If my old boss from Stilwater was alive today, he wou-"

"Here's a metal detector and a shovel, Corporal Gat." Oleg hands the electronic instrument and digging tool to Johnny and another set to Sanford.

"Sooo… are we getting more guys coming to help us?" Bobby wondered.

"Not today, Private. Bravo One Charlie is to sweep the terrain surrounding the refugee sites for anymore signatures related to those Imperial corpses discovered yesterday. If there are more than we anticipated, then the options would be bringing in more personnel or having the refugees recover them as a source of income," explained an American serviceman wearing a beanie and having his uniform's sleeves rolled up.

Gat said, "Oh, thanks for the heads-up… you West Point asshole."

"Uh-hey! I worked very hard to be one of the best graduates from the prestigious military academy! At least show me some proper respect!"

"Well, I'm the wrong guy to do that… along with me being part of 'Bad Company' as of this time!"

"Just shut up and start the investigation, Gat!" Redford ordered.

"Eh… whatever, Sarge." The Asian-American soon move on to the uncut woodlands for potential indications of unknown Falmarian casualties.

"Ugh… my apologies for one of my men's bad habits, sir. I'm Sergeant Samuel Redford of the United States Army's 222nd Armored Battalion."

"Second Lieutenant Jonathin Parkerton from the 2nd Infantry Division, US Army. I have been assigned to the Third Reconnaissance Team. Is First Lieutenant Youji Itami here?"

The JSDF commanding officer happens to walk there out of curiosity. "Uh… konnichiwa, anything going on over here?"

"Oh, there you are Lieutenant. The name's Johnny Parkerton, 2nd Lt from the US military, at your service."

"Um… nice to meet you, Parkerton. Not sure if I have any objectives to do here."

"There is one, actually: overseeing the humanitarian efforts on the settled exiles. Dah?" A Russian soldier in padded armor and helmet spoke.

"And… you are?"

"Second Leytenant Mikhail Romikov of the Russian Armed Forces, sir."

Meanwhile….

In a barrack belong to the Knights of the Rose Order (within the capital city of the Saderan/Sanderan Empire), a woman with surreal red hair and in knight armor attends her white horse for a while.

"Your highness, is everything alright here?" said her silver-blonde subordinate with jade-colored eyes and in Imperial armor.

"I'm good, Panuche. Kind of wish that my order has receive a real mission for once," stated the twenty-three year old female leader.

The platinum-haired warrior sighed, "Many of us feel the same way, milady. Still, you do remember what Sir Grey has told us. Right?"

"Indeed… continue to be patient as the Emperor's 'honor guards' until an opportunity presents itself."

"Hmm… so Princess Pinae, your orders for today?"

"Well, most likely sword practices as usual… for the last twelve years that is."

"At least we'll be in good condition whenever the emperor summons us."

"That is true my friend. Yet I feel bothered by something since the fabled portal at Alnus Hill has opened."

"How did it be so, your majesty?"

"Perhaps back in the Imperial Palace where I was summoned there by my father to answer his curiosity about my presence in meetings of senators; like the declining supply of slaves, expeditions outside of Falmart that never returned, Imperial laws on crime, and other messy matters in politics. It was around that time that a messenger brought news about the 'Gate' and the world on the other side. Before I could gain an inkling of this new place, the emperor has commanded me to leave his palace, stay with my group of warriors, and do not interrupt him and the Imperial Senate in their on the issues of the sacred ground. Fuh… and I obeyed without question for the sake of keeping the Rose Order intact."

"Probably a good decision at that point… and thanks again for saving us from disbandment."

"I appreciate your kind remark, Panuche. Still…"

"More doubts in your mind, highness?"

"In all honesty, I adore this empire that held together much of this continent. But… considering the past announcement of an expedition to the new realm that later lost in excess of a hundred thousand people - an invasion force to be more exact - at the other side of the portal… within a week, followed by enormous casualties from these swarms of… 'iron bugs' that appeared in the Alnus province; which was later accompanied by the decimation of our 40,000 warriors in the enemy's counterattack, and the losses caused by these 'demons' or 'ghosts' between our capital and the occupied holy hill… while waiting for our allied vassal armies for almost ten months to clean up this debacle of a WAR! Gah… ah… ugh… so with all of this happening, I'm beginning to wonder whose bright idea was it to invade an entirely unexplored world by force… instead of pragmatic diplomacy!" The red-maned woman catches her breath after saying that account.

"Let us hope that the emperor himself was not actually responsible for starting this terrible conflict, milady. Agreed?" stated an older, semi-bald male knight who just came here to check the royal leader.

Pinae Co Lacroix stated, "I don't think my father could be that foolish enough to order an aggressive conquest with little to no insight on an unknown land, Grey. Nevertheless… I'm getting quite concern about the emperor's effectiveness in actually stopping the enemy's encroachment; under these troubling circumstances."

Back at the Alnus refugee zone….

Russian officers Oleg Kirrlov and Mikhail Romikov are observing at a distance the ground survey on an area next to the refugee sites; being performed by Bravo One Charlie for determining the concentration of buried bodies over there.

The newly arrived leytenant pose an inquiry to the serzhant in their own language. "Serzhant Kirrlov, what do you know about these Yanki soldiers?"

"Hmm… how about we start with Serzhant Samuel D. Redford, da?" Oleg suggested.

"Khorosho, let's start from there then."

"Sure thing, leytenant. Ahem… so, the African-American serzhant has around 20 years of oversea deployment in Afghanistan, Iraq, and several hotspots in the Middle-Eastern theater. Definitely a dedicated soldier of the U.S. Army but somewhere along the way, he began to grow tiresome of being a cog of the American war machine; either in the mists of battle or away from the violence. Eventually, the black Yankee asked his military to discharge him earlier than normal."

"I can guess that it didn't work at first, vernyy?"

"Several times he attempted to convince his leaders to dismiss the Sarge of military service. In the end, they both managed to reach an agreement on his honorary discharge. All he had to do was to make a voluntary transfer to B-Company of the 222nd Armored Battalion and continue serving his country for at least a year on this fantasy-land… without being killed by either the enemy or preposterously his own misbehaving comrades."

"Uh… wait, being killed by your own soldiers?"

"It's certainly feasible when working with the more 'turbulent' members of this American unit. But let's move on to Private Preston Marlowe, the newest member of B-Company."

"So what's this FNG's story then?"

"Nu, the serviceman joined the American Army for paying respect to his military family. After going through years of training, the private was deployed to a military base in Lodz, Poland for one year… without seeing any real combat."

"Did this Preston person maintain his patience?"

"Eh… sort of. Even so, he gotten bored of being stuck in a safe zone instead of actual fighting in the front… which led him to give a try on flying a Blackhawk helicopter for the first time. Unfortunately, Private Marlowe's inexperience with that particular aircraft ended up crashing it into his local general's limousine. By that nature, he should be in jail for some years. However, the American commanders decided to transfer the soldier to the 222nd Armored Battalion's B-Company instead."

"Oh… 'kay… so what are the reasons for the other Yankiz to be in that particular group? We'd already heard Private Sanford's story of him miss-wiring several Abrams tanks as a mechanic, of course."

"Da, Romikov. Up next is Private Terrence Sweetwater, a college graduate from New Jersey who joined the military for financial aids to help him attend post-graduate academies like MIT."

"Did he still maintain his intellect as a former college student?"

"Opredelenno, leytenant. He's well educated in mathematics, sciences, and technology. Nevertheless, the glass-wearing private somehow allowed… or rather… accidentally uploaded a computer virus that infected his army's delicate mainframes while working as a technician in their intelligence department. Which earned him a reassignment to B-Company."

"Oh… nu, that's quite a shame for Sweetwater to be. Doesn't it, Kirrlov?"

"Indeed so… and Terrence had fully understood the conditions he got himself into. If only that can be said about the redneck from Texas: Private George 'Gordon' Haggard Junior."

"Yeah… so what was the American bumpkin's felony for being sent to this uh… 'bad' company?"

"Heh, heh, eh… nu… this Texan has a strong fondness with explosives; which sort of got him into trouble on the get-go. Like exploding an officer's latrine with a claymore mine… or blowing up the largest ammunition depot in his own home state!" Both men laugh at the crazy misdeeds.

"Ha, ha, ha… o bozhe, that imbecile certainly deserved to be stuck in a rowdy bunch of misfits. Da?"

"Undoubtedly so… and probably the same thing for that former gangster from Stilwater, Michigan." Oleg's face then turned a bit more serious.

"Uh, wait… who?"

"Corporal Ji-hoon 'Johnny' Gat… ex-member and infamous survivor of the 3rd Street Saints, which had emerged victorious over the previous gang wars that plagued one of the 'Twin Atlantis of the Great Lakes.' That all changed a few years ago, when the cities of Stilwater and Steelport got invaded by a wide-range of diverse militia groups that wanted to burn it to the ground or 'liberate' the urban population from corruptions. The aggressors to the Saints and Stilwater's civilians includes religious extremists, hostile racists, and 'rebels' that had enough of the criminal and hate-filled violence residing in the water-locked metropolis. Likewise, the bloodshed and infrastructural damage between the violent participants were astronomical within a month. Yet the final nail to the coffin was the large-scale intervention to the lawless metropolis by an army of mixed PMCs like SSC, CELL, and Armacham - under the command of a former US Army commander named Hershel Shepherd. By that point, the gang and the uncooperative paramilitary groups had lost plenty of their strength from fighting each other. Thus, the 'mop-up' operations were relatively easy for the hired soldiers to do."

"Was that the end of the Third Street Saints?"

"Oh, hell no! Those urban hoodlums still had the tenacity to cause mayhem on Shepherd's fighting forces for several weeks; despite the growing casualties on their side. Ultimately however, the criminal leader of the Saints was killed in an all-or-nothing effort to terminate the ex-lieutenant general. Yet the notorious street gang were successful in eliminating the American commander and handfuls of highly skilled mercenaries in that desperate assault."

"What happened afterwards?"

"Essentially, the 3rd Street Saints was disbanded as a consequence of their boss's death. Still, there were rumors about the remaining gangsters that managed to escape Stilwater before the Michigan State Guards brought order to the devastated place. As to how they could've done that and their possible locations remains unknown or classified to the spy communities at this time."

"Huh… was there anything else declassified on Mr. Gat, GRU agent Kirrlov?"

"Nu… I could say that Johnny's kill count back in Stilwater was way over a thousand on rival gangsters, police officers, unlucky bystanders, Ultor personnel, bloodthirsty zealots, et cetera. How he whined up in the US Army remains off limits to everyone outside of the intelligence agencies worldwide as of today."

"Unless that former lawbreaker decide to have a say about his messy history."

"If… he do so, leytenant. Now… how about letting me take a long break from speaking such relevant expositions for the rest of the day?"

XXXXXXX

A few minutes afterwards, B-Company's metal detectors picked up several signals underneath the soldiers' feet. Obviously, they start taking the dirt out with the shovels for whatever were below the surface. A while later, human-shaped objects are exposed to the outdoor air and investigations.

Like what the Texan is observing after he unearth the remains of a Saderan legionary. Roman-like suit of armor that had been pierced multiple times, decaying tissues, and... no skulls (or what's left of the cranium in small amount). Uncertain of the macabre display, George start walking towards Sweetwater (who just completely uncovered the same type of corpse). "Hey, Sweatwater! Do you have the time to check out... the... oh. I'll be darn."

"Uh... what is it, Hags?"

"Well, the dead guy down there is as headless as the one I just dug up."

The eye-glassed private look at the corpse's missing head. "Huh... you're right, Haggard. This legionary has much of his cranium gone. Just like the other bodies that the Japanese engineers had found during the refugee housing construction, you dummy." The intellectual personnel sarcastically noted.

"Well excuse me for not being all smartypants, CSI Jersey."

Sweetwater brush the comment aside and take more time analyzing the gory clues. Soon, he notice something. "Hmm... carbonized layers outside of those holes. Well... all of them at least. I have a feeling that something or someone had burn through this poor fella."

"Like what? An archer that shoot out fire arrows or something like that?"

"Nah... the rather clean circles all over this body looked more like large bullet holes. Yet how would bullets leave behind burnt residues without churning up organs?"

"Perhaps bullets on fire might do the... uh... wait, that doesn't make sense. I thought that the locals here don't have guns, Sweets."

"And most likely never seen one in their daily life from our experiences, Hags. So unless someone unknown had just 'magically' made some kind of laser rifle, it remains a mystery to what exactly had killed them."

"Could it be Martians firing ray guns?!"

Terrence look at him with disbelief. "Really, George? Would you be that juvenile to expect sci-fi aliens of H.G. Wells' **_War of the Worlds_ ** to arri-"

"Go aisatsu, minasan. Koko de daijōbu?"

The two American privates redirect their attention to the female medic from the JSDF 3rd Reconnaissance Team, who is also accompanied by Sergeant Kuribayashi. The eyeglass-wearing US soldier responded, "Oh... uh... Yā ojōsan... -tachi. Sorede... Koko de nani... ga okotte iru no?"

Mari chuckles, "Ā, sore wa nani mo nai. Amerikahito ga hakkutsu chōsa de umaku itte iru ka dō ka o kakunin suru dakedesu."

Haggard barged in the dialogue. "Uh... I'm not good with understanding Japanese words, everyone. So what did she just said to us today?"

Shino summarized the meaning, "Ahem. For your information, Sergeant Kurokawa and I are wondering about your well-being; as you Americans recover the enemy remains for thorough forensics."

"Well... since you gals asked nicely, I would say that it could have been more enjoyable. If we're shoveling out buried treasures, instead of smelly body parts."

The baffled medic reminded, "Mr. Haggard, you must understand that the Allied Command are truly curious to know how these adversaries bizarrely died prior to our seizure of the 'Gate' here."

"Um... I sorta get the purpose of us guys doing detective stuff right here. Although Sweets and I had just made a guess about space aliens being guilty of this shitty scene."

Kuribayashi suspiciously noted, "Seriously... extraterrestrials as culprits of the buried enemies at this vicinity, on this fantasy world?"

Terrence added, "Well... that remains an unproven theory for now. Like what Miss Kurokawa has said though, we don't really know the perpetrators of this disturbing handiwork and how it was done onto them. Speaking of damage assessment ladies, how much value could the refugees recover from the broken items of these poor fellows?"

Both women look at each other with uh... relatively no clue. " Mari answered, "Private, that math question should have been asked after both the entire excavation and the full calculation on amount that the refugees have recovered are complete. Understood?"

"Uh... yeah, I could understand the uncertainty of how mu-"

"Good, we sergeants will leave you two alone with the chores for the time being! Ganbatte!"

Shino added a warning, "And try not to get yourselves in trouble, boys."

The female soldiers move on towards a different site being dug by B-Company's new guy, not too far away though. Meanwhile, the two Americans decided to take the Imperial corpse out from the pit to the surface... as they continue talking. "Don't worry yourself on what Kury said, Sweets. I'll spot trouble before you know it." The Texan proclaimed as he grab and hold the upper torso of the rotten legionary.

"Suuure you do, Hags. How bad can it get with Mister Explosive 'Expert' right here?" Terrence stated with sarcasm while holding the foot part of the dead body. As the duo carry the lifted cadaver haphazardly, a small brown pouch came down from the deceased... with a metallic cling. Soon, the Americans notice the simple item with curiosity.

On this account, George simply let go of the corpse while leaving the eyeglass-wearing private rather stumped with the lying body. The American redneck wondered, "Hmm... I wonder what inside this bag that the Greeky fellow was holding." He grabbed the fabric object and manipulate his fingers for a rough picture of the inner content. Metal rubbing each other, circular edges, thin shape... eh, something similar to coins.

Wait... coins?

With that insight of money, Haggard put inside one hand to validate his suspicions. What he took outside is a flat, round piece of...

Gold.

"Well slap me hard and call me El Dorado!"

Sweetwater was quite amazed at what the explosive 'specialist' found. "Oh... okay, El Dorado. Let's take a look."

"Whoa, whoa! Finder's keepers, that's the rule!" The Texan stated as he defend his claim from the inquisitive private from New Jersey.

Still, their continuous arguments over the coinages unknowingly led the duo towards sergeant Redford's dig site. Halfway into their moving spectacle though, Preston noticed them squabbling about something as he just excavated a second corpse with the same damage to the head and body (and shortly after the Japanese ladies had finished their conversation with him and left to check-up the refugee site). With his curiosity taking over, he walk across the surface to the cause of their quarrel. As Marlowe catches up with the disputers, he attentively detect a gold color on one of Haggard's hand. And by some dumb luck, another coin escape from the small sack and onto the ground. While George and Terrence are distracted with their 'exchange' in motion, the 'new' member of Bravo-One Charlie proceed to pick up the gold coin and observe it. _'Wow... this piece of gold seem to be the Real McCoy.'_

Quickly however, the Afro-American sarge caught his sight on the arguing subordinates and move closer in their direction. "Haggard! Sweetwater! What are you frat boys talking about?" Samuel demanded.

As the military misfits explained the situation to their squad leader, Private Marlowe watches the commotion from a certain distance. _'Now... if people with less moral fibers were here, that might poses a big problem.'_

When the clarification about the loot is done for Redford to listen, the dark-skinned American then confiscate the coins from George's hands to the officer's responsibility. "Ladies! We're in a war, not a damn treasure hunt. And since we're part of the coalition forces, they belong to the allied military. Also, the refugees need more of these than we do for their recovery from those Fire Dragon attacks that they've endured. Do you two copy?!"

The pair are initially unsure of a clear answer. Eventually, the eyeglass-wearing soldier agreed, "Well, that would be bad publicity if some nosy reporters think that we noble Americans are nothing more than looting troublemakers here."

"Kinda think about, we're more like the merry band of Robin Hood that take money from the greedy kings and giving it to the poor." The Texan commented.

"Can you two please prioritize the well-being of the displaced locals, instead of your satisfactions?!" Reford shouted.

This time, the army privates get the meaning. "We get the gist, Sarge. Don't want to put Karma on the bad side, anyway." Haggard confirmed.

"Good... now let's get back to work!"

 _'But... we're all men of duty. So... when the Sergeant said the gold coins belong to the Army and native exiles, we all agreed and got back to work.'_

An hour later, the excavating team come up with 80 bodies of legionaries and auxiliaries and counting. All decomposing badly, virtually no heads, and had 'unnatural' holes across their remains. The personnel not doing the physical work performed minor funerals for the dug-up deceased, before allowing the refugees to 'recover' valuable items. As another short ritual for a dead Imperial goes underway, someone decide to blur out a thought.

"Hey, uh... guys. Why are we making prayers to these poor fellows that looked like the ones who wrecked Tokyo? You know... like a herd of bulls in a giant china shop."

Sergeant Mari Kurokawa, though a bit annoyed at Haggard's 'curiosity' like her Japanese squad, nevertheless gives an answer in English. "Private Haggard, we are aware of these soldiers belonging to our current enemy. However, having disregards to the corpses of our opponents may likely reinforce their view of us as uncivilized 'barbarians.' In light of winning the hearts and minds on this land, showing honor and dignity to the fallen is important to help rethink the inhabitants' point-of-view."

Gat added, "Sure, it seem nice to show kindness on deceased opponents. But regardless of whatever caused the many deaths of these motherfuckers, I still think they deserved to have their fatty asses and pussy-loving dicks desecrated."

Shino Kuribayashi warned, "Watch your mouth, gaijin rat."

Forward a week and a half at a Russian military outpost, somewhere in Siberia….

The human garrison of this military site are on high alert under heavy amount of obscuring clouds; manning the few watch towers, activating armored UGVs fitted with auto-cannons and AT missiles, and holding positions behind concrete slabs. This situational vigilance among the Russian soldiers was caused by the days-old reports they received from two army bases, a major airfield complex, and a handful of scattered outposts further east toward the Pacific coastlines.

Here how it went several days prior:

Outpost military personnel had detected hundreds of unknown characters intruding their defense perimeters… for each installation. Several times did the Russians warned the brown-armored trespassers not to proceed any closer to the sites and to leave the premises… or else the humans will open fire.

The intruders ignored the warnings and continued toward the outposts rather casually.

As expected, the native occupants unleashed hails of bullets onto the uninvited guests in response… only to reveal the incredible resistance that the brown-colored infantry armors had against ballistic rounds. However, the larger caliber bullets from heavy machine guns were making slighter dents on the protective materials; and it seemed that the iconic RPGs (although in limited numbers) were able to penetrate such bulletproof outfits (and to expose the robotic nature of these invaders). Despite all of that happening, the armored intruders kept moving and the Russians still pouring leads and rockets.

After a period of nonstop gunfire, the unknown trespassers then returned the favor with rapid successions of plasma bolts and particle beams from their futuristic weapons. In a near instant, the direct-energy projectiles cut down much of the human defenders; even while wearing their own body armors. The soldiers that did survive had already left the outposts before the aliens retaliated; since those fortunate souls immediately recognized the odds stacked against them… and in turn, stop firing and fled quickly - while their 'stubborn' comrades continued the defenses. Thus, the outdoor military sites were overrun and the survivors escape to those few bases that were soon informed about these encounters.

Three days later, those same armed interlopers arrived at the outer perimeters of the main army fortifications and air force complex. Except this time, the unwanted foreigners were in the thousands and accompanied by numerous assault vehicles that looked like hovering… tanks (hover engine within each of the four mechanical legs, high-velocity plasma cannon, two laser guns on both sides of the main turret for anti-air or infantry, two AI-driven dual shotgun turrets, a rooftop incendiary grenade launcher turret, high-tech durable armor, designation as T-120 Ogre/Velikan-Lyudoyed, and anything else unknown to the Russians). Also in the vast mix were 'modern-looking' main battle tanks (T-119 Black Bear/Chernyy Medved' with 140mm gun), self-propelled guns (dual howitzer variants of the T-119), 8-wheeled IFVs (BTR-110 Cossack with an automatic railgun), and unarmed versions of the Ogre hover tanks that often accompanied the more menacing combat vehicles. For the air base though, anti-air derivatives of the Black Bear tracked vehicle were among the large crowd of trespassers.

Once again, the intrusive visitors moved in rather slowly and relaxed weirdly enough. This time however, the T-120s were sent in first as their hover generators allowed the tanks to not trigger explosions on the minefields. Like the last confrontations, the human defenders alerted them - in advance - to stop and turn away from their military facilities; while being flabbergasted at their mines not blowing up.

And yes… the unknown army paid no heed to the warnings.

As such, the Russian garrisons launched anti-armor warheads coming out of their own MBTs, rocket launchers, and other military systems designed to eliminate heavy armored targets. The responding firepower made direct hits on the invading war machines; engulfed in thick smokes.

Shockingly to the humans however, the alien metal behemoths came out unscathed - due to additional protection from their own individual energy shields. Even so, the Ogre armored units persistently encroached into the Siberian bases without unleashing their weapons… while also shrugging off projectiles from the relentless Russian barrage in retaliation. Strangely, the T-120s halted their advances a few feet after passing over the minefields. Fewer would realized that long lines of explosives were attached to all of the mighty tanks' rears and coming out of those seemingly weaponless vehicles that were feet away from the mine-laden areas. Therefore, every cable of high-yield containers simultaneously detached themselves from both military machines and soon landed on the traveled minefields. Seconds later, all the ropes go boom - resulted in the virtual destruction of the area-denial traps underground. With the affected landmines neutralized, the majority of the nonnative forces subsequently and methodically surged through the clear paths.

It really doesn't matter to the newly arrived airborne rotorcrafts though; like the HP-48 Krokodils, counter-rotating Hellions, ducted-fan Hypers, Hunchbacks, and so on (more than half of them fitted with energy weapons). Yet on the defender's front, the Russians continued firing at the immense horde - even while in retreat. After some time of ignoring such 'aggressive' defiance (like the last interactions), the 'robotic' intruders finally shot back… with deadly firepower and accuracy. Regrettably, the human infantry took serious fatalities from direct-energy armaments as many tried to fight on the move… instead of a complete withdrawal. The 'man'-driven tanks with ERA panels fare a bit better on the other hand, since the internal explosives helped reduce the damage on the main armor from the plasma cannons. The downside was once those protective components were gone, they're gone for good. Perhaps many Russian tanks would had retreated to safety… if they didn't refuse to stop launching lethal warheads at their 'enemies' while on the move (several tank rounds had managed to incapacitate their armored targets, mainly due to enormous stresses accumulated on the shield systems by previous volleys). Consequently, the foreign cannon-mounted vehicles reciprocally fire at the 'hostile' tracked units; in which plenty of them ended up destroyed.

In the air above the military airbase, Russian attack helicopters discharged their payload into the unwelcome outsiders whereas the rotor-powered transports carried passengers away from the battlefield. Although the low-altitude assault rotorcraft 'demolished' handfuls of troops and vehicles, many of them still got shot down by surface-to-air missiles, laser weaponry, et cetera in the end. Speaking of aerial combat, warplanes from the air force facilities sent in bombs and missiles onto the interloping war machines as well. Easier said than done… as the anti-air tracked vehicles were able to intercept the launched munitions and occasionally the attacking planes by the use of lasers and particle beams. Additionally, the human pilots soon had to deal with incoming bogeys that looked like their famous Su-47 experimental aircraft. Along with distinct visual designs, these forward swept-wing counterparts were also noticed to have greater advancements such as plasma guns, tougher armor, and AI cores inside the 'cockpits' to control flight maneuvers. Henceforth the much harder dogfights that the native combat jets caught themselves in.

As the invading mechanical hordes rapidly controlled greater proportions of the army bases, more Russian saturation artillery units were operated from afar to unleash plenty of ordnance shells and rockets at their opponents. They certainly 'banged up' large numbers of ground forces inside the occupied military complexes, but those victories don't last long as surface attack variants of that Berkut doppelganger aircraft located and eliminated the long-range war instruments (those that kept resuming the bombardment, that is). Russian anti-air vehicles guarding the artillery groups opened fire at the forward swept-wing attackers; although their bullets were relatively unsuccessful in penetrating the Bloodhounds' nano-enhanced carbon airframes and the SAMs had often been fooled by decoy flares or shot down by point-defense lasers from the tail sections of those intruding aircraft.

Now, someone expected the escalations to go um… nuclear.

Well… there were several large automotive platforms at great distances from the fighting that each carried a tactical nuclear missile launch system.

Too bad for the human 'adversaries' that swarms of micro-bots had already 'detained' the mobile WMDs - long before any order has reached them or a single reaction from the Russians themselves could be done. The big rockets' ignition electronics, their engines, and even the nuclear payloads inside were made inert by those very tiny drones enveloping the powerful arsenals in the thousands. Yet the collective swarms had forcefully ousted the crews who were quite 'stubborn' to not abandon their vehicles - instead of rationally killing them (weird behavior to the humans anyway).

With their tactical nukes unworkable, the losing defenders ultimately abandoned the military bases and withdraw further to other outposts and/or major strongholds of the Russian armed forces.

Which brings to the soldiers on guard - back at the present day: being vigilant for those robot 'terminators' that may or may not come to this outpost or any other military sites.

Two outdoor personnel take some time to talk about world news.

"Oy, Vladino. Did you hear anything about North Korea lately?

"I obviously do, Tovar. Most of the isolated country is said to be overrun with unknown invaders in the hundreds of thousands; and their capital, Pyongyang, over there is being under siege by those tenacious bastards."

"Da, but what got us unnerving was how this mysterious army's weapons and vehicles looked almost similar to our own military arsenals."

"That's definitely surreal, comrade… if ignoring the different paint jobs and features on such a vast army."

"Might be two big armies, actually: one brown and the other a mix of red and green."

"Should that trivia matters, Tovar?"

"Maybe so, Vladino. Our neighbors in China are working on viable options to deal with those red-green, uninvited guests occupying their recently devastated territories and cities by that nasty typhoon; like Shanghai and Nanjing."

"Uh… what kinds of plans?"

"Nu… anything except nuclear strikes."

"Huh… are they really that committed to take their lands intact?"

"Actually, it might had to do with those damn black swarms that were quite effective in searching for and deactivating nuclear weapons."

"Does that mean the Chinese are unable to deploy nukes?"

"Not just the armed forces of mainland China, my friend. There are reports of the United States, India, and Pakistan having multitudes of their atomic WMDs being immobilized by the same countless 'bugs' that have recently messed up our capabilities to launch nuclear ICBMs."

"Uh… da… which leads to this terrible prospect: turning those captured nukes against us."

"Ugh… I definitely don't want to be on the receiving ends of our own powerful weapons like that. Still though… would they be willing to unleash such destructive power?"

Before any response to the question, loudspeakers and radio communication comes alive. "This is your commanding officer to all personnel of this outpost. We have received a new order from Command Headquarters relating to those brown-armored trespassers. The top brass had read the reports of this invasion on our motherland, but the higher-ups wants to know if this hostile doppelganger army could try to kill us without any soldier from our side firing at them. Thus to answer that, military installations and personnel of the Russian Federation are directed to only watch their movement and not retaliate against these opponents. I'll say it again, do not give them a battle regardless of their intrusions on our bases. Leytenant Nikovaff, out."

Plenty of the outpost personnel reacted with confusion.

"Wait… we're not firing back at them… at all?!" Vladino voiced his surprise.

"Bez shutok! That sounds very risky to let those 'robots' pass through our forts," said the other soldier.

"Indeed, who would be crazy enough to be a martyr without a chance to retaliate?"

"No clue over there, but we're certainly not like those hippie idiots who still think that love can solve every problem on this Earth."

"Da… now that I think about it however, how would those aliens react to such peace-loving airheads?"

"Don't know. Perhaps the unnamed interlopers would find th-"

The outpost commander speaks once more through the broadcasting apparatuses. "Nikovaff here, again. Our concealed sniper teams have reported back to us a battalion-size force, the same guys in brown colors, moving towards our position in 10 minutes. As ordered by command, we are to hold our fire and observe their progress. Therefore, I really recommend that our unmanned ground vehicles to be set in watch-mode only. I'll see to it personally that the directive is complied. End of transmission."

Tovar sighed, "Ugh… I hope the top brass know what they're doing when they tell us to cease-fire."

Despite doubts within the military site, the soldiers obey, get the place to be less 'hostile,' and await the incoming intruders. Ten minutes later, those brown-armored 'guests' arrive as expected - including their railgun-mounted IFVs and 4-wheeled armored cars (GZ-255). Step by step, the unknown invaders casually move closer and closer to the outpost. Tension fills the air among the Russians looking at the encroachment, yet the humans maintain their discipline to not react with force. Eventually, the robotic battalion reach the central interior of the site and uh... look around.

Glazing at the flesh-and-blood soldiers, their equipment, buildings, barriers, and such and such for some periods, while in motion of slowly leaving the small installation... and not aiming and/or triggering their energy firearms simultaneously.

Quite bewildering for the military personnel of Russia to witness such 'inquisitive' behaviors from highly advanced 'war machines.' Half an hour forward, the armed visitors have all departed from the outpost's vicinity and heading westward. With no casualties on both parties amazingly enough.

Vladino spoke, "O Bozhe, never thought that there some merits behind that crazy order from the higher-ups."

"Da... truly unreal on what just happened here. Huh... kind of makes me wonder: would the Amerikantsy respond well to a stand-down command from their generals; as robotic armies of unknown origins continue to roam across the United States of America?" Tovar asked.

"Eh, eh... nu, I would obviously assume that every angry Yanki will try to evict them by force first; before actually understand more thoroughly about the given situations. That is, if they could allow chances to find out the stranger part of those metal heads or not."

"O chuvak... then I'd wish them luck on refraining the urge to react like outraged lunatics."

"And that probably goes the same thing for all existing extremists, criminals, and anyone else around the world that will try to smash dilemmas first; instead of diplomatic answers."

"Xa... as if those bloodthirsty African warlords and Islamic terrorists could ever change their own souls into something more uh, humanitarian." The soldier then has a question in his mind. "Back to those automatons however, why did they behave like that?" Before his comrade can reply, every Russian in the outpost soon heard something soaring in the clouded skies. "Uh... what's that sound?"

Just above the clouds covering the Siberian region are five airborne entities in V-formation.

One gigantic object shaped like a manta-ray and four smaller crafts similar in design; along with names like 'Aigaion,' 'Kottos,' and 'Gyges' in that order.

Also... they're the first battle group, out of nine belonging to the 'Hekatonkheires' aerial fleet, to arrive on Earth.

Two days later in Falmart/Falmaria/Falmarius/Sandera; and somewhere along the Appia Highway between Crety and Italica...

Over thirty thousand warriors are marching on or alongside the stone-paved pathway that leads to the major fortress city of the Folmari Province. They include the foot-soldiers, knights on armoured horses and tamed wyverns, archers, crossbowmen; crews for the catapults and ballistae; orcs, goblins, minotaurs, ogres, and trolls from the auxiliary units; and battle mages. All came from the serf states further west that were summoned by the Saderan/Sandera emperor to drive out the otherworlders from Alnus/Arnus Hill. Leading the military collection were the vassal kings and their entourages.

A few feet next to the subservient leaders on their sides is a cloaked woman in brown-colored, ranger-like outfit and riding her own horse. The lone dark-green haired gal and other mysterious wanderers were responsible for convincing the vassal war-chieftains to go to Italica; instead of moving straight to the sacred hill as told by Imperial messengers. However, the female 'ranger' was the only one accompanying this lot of legions since the other anonymous agents left for reasons that remained secret to the medieval fighters. As she take the time to look around the landscape, one of the kings ask her.

"Out of curiosity my dear, do you currently serve a master?"

She turn her sight at the royal man, "Should such an inquiry ever be answered?"

"Hmm... not all the time, darling. But considering the news you somehow got from your friends about the Empire's vassals going to the new meeting in Italica, I would have assume a patron was behind the change of plans."

"Well... that could possibly be so, sir."

"For the gods' sake, I'm of noble blood and you should address me and other respectable kings a-" He suddenly heard something in the sky and redirect his sight to see a cylindrical object falling down. "What the underworld is that?"

Everyone in the enormous battle group stop and notice the unknown entity descending rather fast. It quickly made impact on solid, flat ground that is located a few miles left of the allied army; releasing shockwaves and uplifting tons of dirt to the air. Many medieval warriors and fantasy creatures on terra firma were forced down by the blast of air and shaking of the ground.

All the horses panic, upon which one ridden by the lady in cloak fell over. The emerald-haired dame still remain seated on the saddle due to the stirrups locking her feet and tight grip on the reins; but she did received quite a blunt hit from the fall. "Grr... ow, my arm and head. That's going to leave a mark." Immediately, the female 'ranger' get her animal standing up and calming it down.

When the large medieval forces get their act together, they refocus their attention to that crash site in a distance with concerns. The vassal lords send in several horsemen to scout the affected area, while the rest of the alliance gradually resume their trek towards the fortified crossroad city. Several minutes later, the scouting units arrive at some distance of the mammoth cylinder for a clearer view.

What scared them more are the beings coming out of that crashed structure: green skins, beastly teeth, big muscles, crudely-made armor, hunched stances, and makeshift melee weapons.

In essence to their native eyes... orcs - and there hordes of them exiting the huge object; along with goblin lookalikes.

Unexpectedly, the horse riders hear a similar noise in the heavens. They instantly turn their heads to the sources and disturbingly witness an almost identical shape falling like the last one. It soon violently contact the terrain and created a crater that is fairly close to the other cylindrical vessel. As well as the air-blasts and earth vibrations felt by the moving servant armies again.

Surprisingly to the Falmarian warriors and nobles though, the ranger-like woman on foot has gotten one of her arms entangled with the reins of her scared horse. Consequently, she get dragged on the ground as the hoofed creature gallop for life away from the collaborating troops. "Whoa-ho-HO!" yelped the covered damsel.

"Tch! There goes our cute but clumsy messenger, milord!" One bodyguard said to his royal leader.

"Perhaps so, my loyal servant. But my thoughts right now are more bothered by those two uh... 'towers' that landed near our forces."

After some periods of time, the scouts return to the main fighting group with grave reports: green-skinned orcs and goblins in the thousands... and looked ready for war with their weapons.

"Sires, what would you have us brave warriors do?" asked by one of the surveying horsemen.

The leading warlords think about it for some time. "Hmm... we still remembered the Imperial decree to launch a counterattack against the enemy at Alnus Hill. But..."

Another king added, "Those beastly barbarians could do severe damage on everything within our own states, if left unchecked."

Soon, the available commanders made their final decisions: fight the 'orcs.'

In the command tent of the Armies of Unified Kingdoms, yards away from Italica, meanwhile...

"Hellooo, fellow travelers!" A recognizable yellow droid shouted shortly after entering the big fabric shelter; and its appearance has cause much of the people inside to be confused. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you! I am a CL4P-TP stewa-"

"Also known as Claptrap, or Clappy if any of you want things shorter than the very... I mean seriously, a ridiculously long list of obnoxious jokes that this foolish 'golem' had babbled out for many years," interrupted a man in 'ranger' clothing.

"Aww... that's so sweet of you to wrap-up my introduction to the noble douche-bags, Mr. Kaydin Buck! So how was your vacation time with the lovely, yet weird and clueless fantasy ladies on this unaltered crap of magic?"

The gathered kings are puzzled by the cloaked man who talked suddenly after days of silence, what 'douche-bags' means, and other things from that misplaced cheerfulness. The female 'dark elf,' wearing a green 'elvish' robe and wrapped headwear in grey color, didn't express much emotion on the optimistic robot (on the outside appearance though).

The mildly frustrated male ranger answered, "It was uh... well... great. Plenty of good conversations I had with the female population of this magical continent; although my xenophobia is still strong in the more uh... intimate departments."

The yellow bot guessed, "Like having cat-girls, draconian gals, bunny-warriors, and other demi-human women trying to have sexual interco-"

"Ah-whoa-whoa-wait-uh-ah-no, hell no, ugh! I didn't went that far during my scouting trips on this planet; considering that I had seen enough negative ramifications, both physical and psychological examples, to convince myself otherwise! And besides, how about not interrupting our talks again for this day?!"

"Oh... what kinds of conversations did I interrupted just then?"

Yeah... what did Claptrap interrupted inside the tent?

Well, let's start with the fact that the royal fabric structure was setup by the earlier vassals that had arrived at the 'rendezvous' site. After the command tent was finished and more armies from the different states made it to the meeting point, the present warrior rulers converged and communicated each other about their statuses on royal family, land, agriculture, people, military, politics, and so on (along with countless wooden boxes containing both relatively fresh and preserved food and drinks that were there when the first vassal units appeared); while waiting for additional allied forces and possibly Imperial units to arrive. The unknown guides in cloaks who accompanied the medieval coalition then roamed from time to time across the massive encampment and nearby areas. To the summoned warriors, they have the facial characteristics of humans and elves. Curiously, the chatty 'ranger' did stop talking when he's within the camping grounds.

Aside from the military buildups, nothing seemed to happen until a courier from the Saderan/Sanderan Empire came yesterday tonight to discover the meaning of the relocation and relay the news (which were that the Imperial army commander can't come due to their 'legions' being preoccupied in 'attacking' Alnus Hill and the demands to make an assault on the enemy occupiers as soon as all the vassals' military might are assembled). After the Saderan exit the camp, the summoned kings discussed on battle plans and hypotheses on what's going on with the Empire lately. Earlier today though, the dark-colored lady in green robe entered the campsite and visited the military leaders for another gathering back at the important fabric shelter again.

A vassal lord named Dulan of the Elbe Kingdom agreed with her requests and soon followed by the other top lieges of the Saderan Empire to the tent. Also coming inside were those secret travelers, leading some kings to suspect something with that 'dark elf.' With the important leaders congregated, she revealed to them information about the reappearance of the magical portal, Imperial scouting missions on the other side, what they brought back illegally or unethically, the Empire's decision and reasons to invade, construction of a permanent frame for the Gate by the Saderans, how many Imperial legions they rallied for the so-called expedition, the numbers that did returned from the 'new' world, captured civilians, obsolete defenses against these powerful opponents, and everything else that had led to this situation (including the emperor's plan to neutralize the subordinate states as threats to his power hold). After hearing such revelations (without the use of high-tech visual aids at first), the kings were in a state of astonishment - and yet there were still doubts from the men on these truths. Around that period, loud noises and ground-shaking reached the army site and the rest of the Folmari estate. Even so, the one-eyed noble general asked her the directions to take if the facts were accurate.

Before she answers, the one-wheeled robot barged in the dialogues on war.

Back to the current time, Kaydin replied the previous question, "Well... it might had to do with persuading the prideful war chiefs and their boys to go home; instead of taking part in a one-sided meat-grinding event that they can't win! Isn't that right, Miss Thorayja?"

The colored lady responded, "It sure does, Lieutenant Buck. If these rulers are not willing to waste their own soldiers to a lopsided massacre, however."

Dulan spoken, "Lady Thor-ay-ja, you should realize that we vassals are relatively honor bound to the emperor's decree. And yet, our main concerns now as inhabitants of Falmart are about the untold devastation that these outsiders could bring onto our lands. Therefore, I hope you had another path to victory available to us kings. Do you, ma'am?"

The woman exhaled a breath and resume speaking. "How about discussions on neutrality between such participants of war? Taking into account that neither sides are really enemies, victors, or losers at this point."

A ruler from the Ligu Principality stated, "Surely you jest, dark elf! For all we know, the outworlders could be too angry to allow peaceful negotiations as a result of the criminal capture of their people prior to the supposed invasion - if proven true. Additionally, such solution could be taken as a ruse by the invaders to lure the allied leadership into a deathtrap that would bring chaos to the rest of our warriors."

"Well... at least your adversaries on the sacred hill are not war-seeking Orks."

The boxy droid intrudes, "Yeah, and if Orks and Gretchins were to be here, they would be all chopping and smashing everything in their... ohhh."

"What's the matter, you uh... golem?" The Elben king wondered.

"I almost forget about those greenskins that were already here!" The vassal leaders are in a 'what did you say' expression before Claptrap continues. "Well... not actually within the vicinity of Folmari province, but those previous loud booms and earthquakes were really made by giant flying ships; crudely-made by those ugly green barbarians as they crash-landed to the ground!"

"Ahem... are you sure that what you're saying here were all true?"

"Why would I lie about Ork invasions? I mean, over a year ago, I was being kicked around by desperate denizens from the land of Pandora."

"Pan-dor-a, you say?"

"Correct! A place full of homicidal animals, bandits, mercenaries, and jerkbags! Not to mentioned the old laboratories in ruin, advanced weapons rusting aw-"

"Clappy, can you please tell us your story with the Orks? Like, right now?! 'Cause our royal friends here need to know why hordes of green beasts are coming to this unchanged world," demanded the man in cloak.

"Sure thing, Mister Kaydin guy! So after roaming around aimlessly for some time, I met an group of greenskins that had captured a small band of misplaced Imperial legionaries."

A king of Mudwan noted, "Wait, did you just say Imperial soldiers?"

"Yep, and I'm uh... sort of responsible for magically transporting those angry legionaries to such a violent place. Anyhow, the Ork boys were interrogating the Imperials on who they are, where they came from, how they got there, and similar questions. Respectively in their pride and arrogance, the humans proclaim themselves as legionaries from the Empire that virtually ruled an entire continent called Falmart and the-... I'm sorry, was it actually Falmarius or Falmaria, Sandera, or maybe-"

"Get back on track, Claptrap! So why did you help those Imperial cohorts then?" said the irritated male ranger.

"Eh, eh, sorry about that! My reason for teleporting the Imperial jackasses with magic was for the sake of friendship. Of course, those cohorts and I ended up in Pandora - instead of the supposedly lush paradise of rich goods that they imagined themselves to be."

Surprisingly, the vassal warlords chuckled at the unfortunate incident of those Saderan legionaries. "Eh, kind of makes me feel sorry for the glory-seeking Imperials. Just almost, though." A ruler from Alguna mumbled before making an inquiry for the 'golem.' "So uh... Claptrap, what were the fates of those soldiers taken captive by the green orcs?"

"Well... in the end, they all got butchered to death in the humongous war-boss camp. But that is after I got captured as well, confirmed the legionaries' answers with my answers, both of us being dragged to the Ork's main camp, told the biggest ork leader our supernatural adventures again, and myself the only one to be spared."

"Now hang on a secunda... why did such war-loving barbarians allowed you to live?"

"Well... I do have this need to make uh... friends. Therefore, I agreed to anything that the green-colored savages tell me to do. And they included verifying salvaged maps of the entire planet, interacting with their contraptions, becoming a chew toy for their torturing amusements, and tagging along the first big rocket ship to reach the medieval lands."

Some silence fills the inner space with almost everyone speechless and the hooded man scratching his head... while holding a lasso in his other hand. "So essentially, this yellow 'golem' was partly responsible for the current Ork invasion on uh... Falmart."

All of a sudden, tremors and roaring sound occurs once more on the allied main encampments and the city of Italica. They definitely spook the vassal kings, albeit in a slightly lesser extent than before. "Gods damn it, more strange shaking and noise again?" Dulan observed.

Claptrap replied, "It seems so, Mister Dulan sir! Most likely a newly arrived ship of about 80,000 orks inside and ready to fight!"

"Eighty thousand for each ship?! Then what is the total number of such massive force? And please, address us kings properly as either milords, highness, majesty, sires, or chiefs at our presence. Alright?"

"Eh... fine with that, chief. And for that other question, I think the greenskins have uh... hundreds of thousands of them in their Waaagh!"

The war chieftains of the Unified Kingdom Armies look at each other in shock on the fact that the size of this orc army is massive. Yet there's not much emotion coming from the secretive travelers.

Perhaps not for Kaydin Buck who soon lassoed the foolish robot. "Well, looks like you lords have a pretty good understanding of what at stake here. So let me take this metal idiot outside of your camp and uh... wish you all good luck on your military action! Eh, heh."

While being yanked away and once outside the tent, Claptrap said, "Uh, I don't think I'm actually done there, Bucky. Since I did met Lori Mercury again, which was after she found the first ork ship that I was on board, and later picking a big fight with the greenish humanoids. Oh, and I did have some chitchats with the demigoddess on top of the rocket before its reactor exploded into smithereens; which sent me flying towards Italica and met you guys! Isn't that great?"

"Ha... ha... ugh, I had to wonder on how the divine bitches could tolerate such obnoxious hazard."

Returning to the area that has turned into a battlefield between Orks and vassals...

In testudo or phalanx formations, the legionaries from the serf kingdoms clash with the chaotic mass of the melee-oriented Slugga Boys and Gretchins. Their spears piercing through the headlong barbarians while having the shields in front and interlocked to protect the fighting men from potential blows the greenskins' close-quarter weapons. The beastly invaders at the fore got plenty of 'pointy sticks' embedded almost everywhere on their bodies. Such attacks may work on the smaller grots, but the Orks themselves are very resilient to take that much damage and keep on fighting.

Not to mention the arrows and bolts from the many volleys previously made by the archers and crossbowmen behind thick rows of front-line men when the battle began. Despite the effectiveness on the gretchins, the bigger cousins are not so easily killed or bleed out due to their physiological structures. Same story repeated with thrown javelins from the allied warriors, although the artillery units like the catapults and ballistae fair a bit better in dishing out blunt trauma or incendiary damage when fire-based projectiles are used.

As the hand-to-hand combat ensues, medieval spears occasionally get stuck within the hides of the Orks. As those kinds of cases happens, the greenskins that are still breathing often snap the jabbed 'deadly' poles in two. Afterwards, the unbound barbarians resume their rampage at the shielded warriors with either sharped tools or bare hands - with enough strength to effortlessly shatter the protective items. If fortunate, the spear-less soldiers would switch to their swords to stab or slash (the latter method prove to be slightly more viable in prolonging the battle).

At the flanks, the 'demi-human' auxiliaries and airborne wyvern cavalries charge into the horde to commit as much damage as they can. For all the many lives that the ferocious vassal barbarians were able to take away on the ground however, they eventually get overwhelmed by the power and numbers of the orkoids. With all the native humanoids virtually defeated, the armored riders on horseback arrive to keep the flanks under control. Yet there are the potential problems of lances being firmly stuck inside the Slugga Boyz and the tough invaders themselves halting the full-on assault of the Falmarian cavalries. As for gaps in the battle formations, magical fireballs from the combat mages would do the job.

In hindsight, the vassal forces of 30,000 looked rather successful in keeping up the life-or-death struggles. Nevertheless, the medieval coalition is slowly losing military power to the relentless savages. On the contrary, the Orks are getting reinforcement in the form of thirty thousands bipedal beasts coming from the third giant ship to crash-landed - and well-armed Nobs from the other two ships in the thousands; which makes it an estimated total of a hundred thousand. To make matters worst for the indigenous army, over a thousand jump-packed Storm-boys join the fun by air; upon which they often perch onto wyverns, landing behind the allied formations, and sometimes on top of the shielded rows. Of course, the ork-made jump packs sporadically explode on impact or mid-air due to some uh... design flaws.

Ultimately however, the allied battle lines under pressure become disorganized mayhem. Several warriors flee for their lives, but most of the armed forces continue to fight as much as they can - including the conscripts, irregulars, and the kings and noble officers rallying them to give everything they got to the greenskins. Even so, the Falmarians were clear overmatched by the physical prowess and numerous mobs of the vicious Orks that are butchering much of the ever-decreasing opponents. Those not part of the dead from this unified army were a few riders on wyverns and horses that had already left the battlefield before the violent clashes had even begun; with warnings for their comrades near Italica to listen.

At a higher altitude in the sky, a surveillance drone from the wide military fortifications at Alnus/Arnus Hill has its camera pointed at the bloody confrontation and its subsequent aftermath... including two more enormous makeshift ships impacting very close to the previous dug-in vessels.

Forward a day in an African savanna of Earth....

A convoy of trucks and jeeps are traveling across the plains for a prize. Inside the vehicles are metal animal traps, chainsaws, high-powered rifles, and automatic firearms. Accompanying the automotive column are two helicopters, each with an armed passenger being carried. After driving for awhile, the men soon locate their preys: a herd of endangered elephants that noticed the flying crafts and immediately flee for their lives.

"This is Buzzard here, Boss. We have found our bonuses a mile away from your direction and no sign of any competitors here!" stated one of the chopper pilot.

The word 'lives' does not registered to the group of poachers. All that matters to the criminals is the potential jackpot they could get when delivering the banned tusks from the animals to clients still active in the Far East and elsewhere in the world. In order to retrieve such items, the poaching party would outright kill the African giants before cutting out their ivories.

"Eh, I bet our rivals were having a very, very bad day with those ghostly vigilantes. All of you fly boys, prepare to take your shots!" said the head of the group in the first vehicle up front.

Being ahead of the convoy, the sharpshooters within the choppers take aim at the elephants. Before a shot can be made however, the pilots notice four blue circular lights beaming at their rotorcrafts. Immediately, the flight controls and engines get electrocuted to oblivion.

"Oh... shit. Oh shit. AH SHIT! The controls are not responding! WE'RE GOING DOWN!"

With the electronic systems shut down, the now-disabled helicopters soon fall hard to the semi-arid terrain. The following group are baffled at what has happened to their two crashed birds and allowed two of the wheeled transports to search for any survivors and/or figure out the mysterious impacts.

"What an unbelievable thing to see," commented the group leader. "Alright gang, get your tools and weapons for the hunt and any surpri-"

KABOOM!

The available poachers in pursuit of the endangered species did not go much farther though, when the leading vehicles exploded into fiery heaps of scrap metal by several rocket-propelled grenades being fired in front of them (upon which those affected crews are outright dead or being burned alive). Instinctively, the other party exit their vehicles with weapons at the ready. Greeting them towards the humans' sides, on the other hand, are a couple of pinkish beams of light that slice through the legs of the criminal hunters and the wheels of the mechanical transports in one sway. The injured men scream in agony as cloaked figures appear almost out of nowhere (in part by deactivating their hi-tech invisibility). Several poachers try to open up their guns but the men's trigger arms were quickly shot to shreds by the assailants' futuristic energy firearms. A number beg the attackers to let them live as the concealed figures come closer to the wounded. Instead, the undercover party-crashers proceed to coldly tear apart what remains of their still-living bodies... piece by piece... through their superhuman, synthetic hands.

The same dreadful fate upon the condemned humans at the copter crash sites; now under attack by one squad of those covert killers per location.

"HELP! Can any human hear and help us?! ANYBODY?!"

Over a week later, around sunset...

On a Falmarian plain that was dozens of miles away from Italica, the military alliance of around 246,000 warriors had establish a defensive front for the incoming 'orc' hordes.

The pattern of the Army of Unified Kingdoms goes like this:

First/front row is composed of auxiliary beastmen such as orcs, goblins, pig-like susnoids, trolls, and ogres in the thousands. Second row belongs to the shield-holding soldiers/legionaries; while the third line is mainly archers and crossbow users. Behind the bowmen are the catapult artillery like the trebuchets and repeating ballistae, along with battle-mages to provide support on both ballistic devices and the arrow-throwers. Fifth and sixth rows are respectively similar to the second and third files, although the sixth row seemed to have armored bodyguards on horses, battle-mages and primitive 'cannons' embedded for the first time in Falmarian history. The last batch on the ground are the multitudes of various conscripted soldiers (not usually trained in shield-wall tactics), many unconventional warriors, and thousands of cavalrymen that includes the kings being prepared to fight. Of course, there also the thousands of knights on wyverns flying in the sky above the ground troops.

Regardless of this massive amount of force, the ruler of the Elbe chiefdom on horseback has concerning thoughts that lingered since the meeting with the dark-skinned woman and her undercover allies. 'To think that all of this enormous gathering of warriors was originally for the sole purpose of cleaning up the diplomatic mistakes made by the Imperial Senate and Emperor Moltor,' Dulan thought.

"Aren't you getting too old to think a lot, old friend?" Hadrian of Ligu asked while on his warhorse.

"Heh... maybe so, if it wasn't for someone as calculating as the emperor himself to do such foolish acts... or so said the dark elf woman."

"Ha,ha... I don't believe that her truthfulness seem to matter at this time. We'll defeat these invading orcs, march to Alnus Hill, and possibly enter Sadera as heroes of Falmart... or perhaps avengers for the Empire's mistreatment on our sovereignty."

"Hmm, no doubt about the severe reduction of the Imperial legions due to their failed um... 'expedition;' but I would be worrisome on how many orcs are coming into this continent that we called home."

"Well... if they're anything like the subservient beastmen here, then these animals would probably go charging at their preys without thinking. Regardless of whether these green-skins were in the hundreds of thousands or more, our superb training and discipline will triumph over such foul barbarians. As well as being properly fed from those mysterious food crates that appeared around this area, after we had stop and rest here obviously. Thus, I will find and give thanks to the ones being generous enough to provide such abundance."

"As long as we're being careful on the battlefield, war-brother."

"Eh, eh, I would suggest that you relax a bit more, King Dulan. It's surprising to see the Lion of Elbe being serious with the words spoken by an unknown stranger."

"What was even stranger about that woman is the possibility that I might had met her before."

"Huh... really? Surely you must be mistaken, right?"

"I don't know, actually. Yet her face somehow reminds me of a nomadic storyteller back in my youth."

"Oh... is that related to the story about a man with unknown magic who became a powerful but corrupt warlock that threatened an entire realm?"

"That also includes a supposed race of star-travelers and a female mage that paid the ultimate price for ending his evil reign. Call it a hunch, but I had a feeling that there at least a connection between past accounts of a wizard imbued in dark arts and the narrative described by that wanderer many years ago."

"Ha, ha, ha... what could you expect from elves with such wonderful longevity. And boy, would I have imagined on the many things that I could do if given such a gift."

"Although such desire would be irrelevant if one should die sooner than anticipated." The Elben king then spot a few allied scouts coming towards them. "Well, it seems that our horse riders have something to report."

Minutes later and with other leaders of the medieval coalition, the reconnaissance soldiers relay the news. "Sires! We have witnessed the barbaric hordes that are heading towards our position, although at a steady pace."

Dulan responded, "Then that means these orcs will arrive before sunrise. Soldier, how numerous are the vicious savages?"

"Uh-um-there... so many."

"I... did not understand. How does their numbers compares to our unified armies?"

"M-m-my lord, the invading armies are countless enough to possibly overrun our combined strength!"

Things doesn't quite look good for the royal leaders of the military alliance as daytime transitioned to nighttime.

Outside a multi-storied building within Italica meanwhile...

Two cloaked men comes out through the backdoor of the building they're staying in. Their routine on this early night is to familiarize again the layout of the city within its fortified walls. Whenever that's done, the duo will go to a meeting point designated for another covert team that are coming back from doing a task on a hidden location two kilometers away; and wait. In the meantime, the operatives look at the houses, merchant stores, inns, taverns, temples, fortified walls for this Countess's mansion, and other structures as they stroll the major crossroad of trade while blending with the urban area. Almost an hour forward, the covertly-clothed men are close to finishing the first exercise when they just spotted something off along an alleyway: two covered figures with humped backs interacting an unknown object while kneeling on the floor.

One whispered, "Uh... Soap, what were those bloody strangers doing over there?"

"I'm in the dark as well, Roach. Which means that we need to get a little closer to understand their goals here, albeit with caution though. Ready?"

"Ready to follow, sir."

"Hold on, let me relay this to Bravo Six." The cloaked 'supervisor' activate his small, sleek headset to quietly communicate his team leader. "Bravo-6 Actual, Soap here. Spotted some unidentified Tangos near the end of our undercover patrol. They don't looked Imperial though. Shall Roach and I investigate them, sir?"

A voice responded after a while, "Alright Bravo Six-11, you're clear to go. But don't get too close to the blokes at this time. Price, out."

The two agents proceed to silently approach the supposed newcomers in Italica. As the gap between them shortens, Soap and Roach spot some characteristics underneath the concealing clothes more clearly: green skins and a distorted language similar to... English, quite bizarrely enough.

"'Ow much longa on da fing?"

"Eh... a few partz dere... more tinkin' ova 'ere..."

As the stealthy humans got nearer to the bipedal foreigners, the pair almost pass a small intersection of alleys... when they hear someone from behind.

"Ahem!"

The two men turn around and see a dark-skinned woman wearing a green robe of 'elvish' design; within their personal space. The same person who had met the allied leadership several days prior.

"Did you gentlemen get distracted by something?"

After a number of seconds staring at her in confusion of her English, the undercover duo soon return their attention to the front... only to realize that the two green-faced figures are eyeing at them.

In addition of two more shady characters that were peaking their heads out of the nearby corners while holding big knives by hand... and having their faces being rather too close for comfort. Thus, the covert operatives got a dangerous look at the beastly facial features of these not-so-alien beings.

Everyone in the compact vicinity didn't make a move for a while - until the green humanoids decided to walk away from the space-less area and move elsewhere. Now alone, the duo look back at the lady with a slight smile.

A bugged Soap said, "Bloody hell I say, miss. You almost got us in grave danger when you compromised our concealment with your voice."

"Possibly so, Master Sergeant MacTavish. Although you and your pal here would have been ambushed at the urban crossing, if not for my vocal action or any other interventions to halt your untimely demise by the claws of Ork Kommandos."

"I'm sorry... orc commandos?" Roach noted what he just heard.

The lady verified, "That's correct, a fraction of the countless green-skinned invaders that appreciated the cunning aspects of their war-like nature."

The lower-ranked sergeant questioned with suspicion, "Are you sure that what you're saying to us were not made up beforehand?"

"Well, you could ignore my messages if you prefer to meet those clever barbarians up close and personal with your own eyes. Although that would put you gents at greater hazards in such a scenario." The woman see that the duo look at each other and then gazing towards her in neutral expression. "By the way, you two are getting a bit late in meeting with Team Metal from your ally's Army Delta units. Hence the suggestion from me to keep moving to that rendezvous point."

The special operatives skeptically peer at her, before the master sergeant gives a reply. "Ma'am... we not certain of following your hint right now."

"Oh... does that hesitation relates to how I knew about your identities and why the crafty Orks are more cautious of my presence?"

"Uh, yes... along with relevant knowledge being withheld from us. Now then... since you seem to want some foreigners moving away from peril, how about you going with us to our hideout and explain the serious issues of this land?"

In the new morning at sunrise...

"RUMBLE UP LOWD, 'U GITZ!" shouted the orkish voice coming out of all the speakers attached to the many Waaagh! towers that dotted across mobs upon mobs of greenskins. Simultaneously, heavy rock music are being played from those tall edifices now showing fires, electric arches, and lights.

In terms of battle patterns:

The first massive batch upfront was filled with Slugga/Choppa boys, 'Ardboys, and Gretchins in the tens of thousands; with only a very wide assortment of melee weapons. Second row was almost the same as the first enormous group, except for Nobs guiding the mobs of smaller orkoids. Third big batch consisted of CQC-oriented Nobs, Meganobs, Stormboys, and Killa Kan mechas. Behind that barbaric masses are walker divisions of Deff Dreads, killa kans, Mega Dreads, and Mad Dreads. Last but not least, the humongous reserves of all diverse combat units bunched together in disorganization (although the firearms and cannons from the Orks are not yet in use for this battle).

Eventually, the towering structures send out many fireworks to the air at the climax of the 'musical' sounds. Hundreds of thousands of the green-skinned savages shout out their signature battle cries for the Waaagh!; which quickly leads to a deluge of orkoids stampeding towards the Army of Unified Kingdoms. "STOMP DEM, LADZ!"

Disciplined and committed however, the archers, crossbowmen, and catapult artillery crews put their missiles on hold until the orks are within firing range. Once the foreign invaders are in reach, the long-ranged troops unleash their multiple volleys of lethal projectiles at the attackers in unison. Arrows and bolts virtually found their marks onto the enemies while boulders and flammable devices from catapults made collateral hits on the charging mobs.

Still, the durable greenskins keep on rushing to their congested targets. Confronting the first wave of orkoids are the native auxiliaries charging at them with clubs, swords, axes, and anything else available. Both collided each other and began attacking up close and personal. Nevertheless, the green humanoids are strong and countless enough to overwhelm the local demi-humans like orcs, trolls, goblins, and 'pig-men' despite their best efforts. Obviously, its the spear-wielding soldiers' turn to face the green tide. In any type of shield walls being utilized, the protected warriors manage to halt the momentum of the colossal bipedal swarm for almost an hour.

"Last one in, iz a runty squig!" Being rather bored however, the stormboys turn on their jump-packs to soar over the active front-lines... and slam onto the collection of bowmen. A small percentage of the rocket-powered barbarians did experience unfortunate malfunctions while in the sky, on the other hand.

Also lacking much patience are the mad-dreads that deploy their drills to dig underground. Those mechanized walkers continue to burrow below ground until they're approximately beneath the ballistic artillery units, which the mad-dreads soon pop out of the surface and start rampaging on their adversaries.

 _":What in gods' names has erupted upon us?!:"_ King Duran from afar noticed the smoke and dirt breaking out high to the air.

On one spot back to the catapult sectors, several mages unleash their enchanted fireballs at a mad-dread. The energized objects made contact on the ramshackle-looking 'golem' and burst into thick smokes. Sadly, not a dent has succeeded on the metallic armor of the large mecha and it (in turn) managed to grab a magician with its mechanical arm. The sizable drills surprisingly met resistance by the battle-mage's mystical barrier covering his body when just outright attack. The captured sorcerer tries a bigger fireball at the metal behemoth, which engulfed both of them in dark smoke. The combat magician remains alive... and so does the mad-dread that somehow thinks methodically - by slowly pressing one of the spinning drills onto the defense magic. Horrifically, the penetration to crack the personal barrier prove to be successful as the drill made a gory mess onto the mage's head. "BWAH, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! STOMP 'U, STOMP 'U ALL!" The madden ork inside the metal monster throws away the dead body at the shield-packed troops in the rear. Suddenly, the mad-dread got a dent on its metal body by a solid ball that was launched from the first use of a cannon; followed by a few more projectiles at the barbaric giant from these medieval guns. All that ever did was to excite the orkoid into a frenzy for combat. "Da, ha, ha, ha! More 'umiez ta kill!"

As several of those maniacs in gargantuan metal frames charge forward at the legionaries in all directions, innumerable greenskins from the reserves (with little self-restraints) come out of the big tunnels made by the mad-dreads and immediately run riot onto the Falmarian troops. Stormboys bypassing the testudo/phalanx-style formations for the archers, bowmen, battle wizards, and artillery crews. Armored nobs, killa kan walkers, and even deff-dreads smashing through the native shield-bearing warriors. Lower-rank orks and gretchins in their usual, violent behaviors - sometimes going to the flanks of the Allied forces. All of the chaos that the unified warriors of Falmart/Falmarius had to deal with.

Recognizing the wide-scale situation, the military leaders assemble a counterattack that utilizes virtually all the reserves: cavalry, conscripts, and the royal leaders themselves. One large group, led by the commanders of Alguna, Mudwan, and Ligu, will assault one flank of the green barbarians and move onto the bulk of 'orcs' outside the main unified army. Also attacking the unaffected horde is the wyvern-based air cavalry. The other battle group, under King Dulan of Elbe and other leading nobles from different states, will take the other side and deal with the havoc on the interior of the allied forces.

Once the retaliation force is fully ready, the Elben authority leader ultimately gives the signal to charge. "To all valiant warriors of our homelands, follow me and praise Emloy for victory!"

Soon, all the cavalry units on horses go on the counter-offensive at the two affected flanks while the knights on wyverns make haste towards the innumerable savages not yet involved in the fighting. In some twist of luck, both separate forces of the medieval coalition pummel hard on the Orks attacking the army's sides. The more difficult parts however, are the hostiles in the interior of the Falmarian alliance formations and those that haven't yet participate the battle.

Several dragon-riders attempted to lance deff-dreads as targets... only to get forced out from their flying beasts by powerful inertia as consequences of trying to pierce the mecha armor; or through the actions by the orkish machines being glad to rip them apart with claws or buzz-saws. Hundreds of cavalry equines getting their legs seriously hurt when stomping hard or running over the gretchin-controlled walkers and 'ardboys; which often causes the riders to unexpectedly fall out from their steeds. Well-equipped nobs exerting their fearsome tools like Power Klaws and Big Choppas on their opponents, shielded or otherwise. Regardless of their training in archery or swordsmanship, the military power of the united vassal states steadily dwindles as the ruthless engagement continues.

Which relates to the commander from the Elbe kingdom, in combat with a meganob. The handcrafted sword of the king is having a hard time slicing through the tough defenses of this nob's exoskeleton. The human chieftain gives another attack on the armored monstrosity, but the high-ranking orkoid uses his left power-klaws to slam-swipe the warhorse underneath... and have the other claw-like weapon to grab the old king as he got injected out.

"Ha! Wazn't expectin' dat now do ya?" The meganob commented as the grabbed soldier futilely respond with sword blows on the exoskeletal arm.

" _:Err, must get -_ [incoming artillery sound] _\- huh?:_ " Dulan heard the strange soaring noise, while the big ork wondering where that indirect shell is going to land.

That inquiry is soon answered by a large explosive blast near their positions, and thus get tossed away in the air. The Elben leader was blown further away to crash within the battle arrangement of Falmarian bowmen, mages, and cannons. Nearby warriors converge on the nobleman out of great concerns and help him stand up.

": _My lord, are you alright_?!:"

"Ugh... _I can still fight, fellow soldiers. How are the oth-_ [sound of another artillery round] _oh no... SCATTER, MEN_!" Shortly after saying the warning, a big explosion occurs close to Dulan. The destruction took away the lives of several soldiers... and the limbs of the commander's left body being propelled again by the blast. The wounded king come to the ground albeit yards away from the troops in combat.

A mage rides to the aid of his king... who is also his friend. Once there, the wizard did what he could to heal the Elben leader. _":You need to escape for Elbe's sake, my lord.:"_

": _What about the men of my home and allies, Jean?! I cannot leave them like - agh_!:" Dulan expressed his concern while feeling the pain on his body.

": _They all knew what are at stake here, my king. I will do my best to also get as many kings to their states alive as I can_.:"

XXXXXXX

Far away from the battlefield is the green-haired lady on her steed; observing the 'medieval' clashes on a small hill, using a high-tech binoculars that relays visual information to the orbiting satellites above. This survey duty could be seen as her penalty for 'abandoning' the nearly 31,000 vassal warriors that she was supposed to be guiding towards Italica. So far, the Army of Unified Kingdoms is losing to the innumerable Orks despite the natives' strong commitment to fight. However, hundreds of warriors did flee in panic as the odds to defeat the greenskins are greatly against them. Might not be so for a few; like the small number of bodyguards that are diligently guiding their injured ruler to safety.

"[Whistle] Maybe I should feel more sympathetic for those vassal armies at this point."

Additionally, the female 'ranger' had spotted a bunch of orkish half-tracks attacking the active combat zone ( the medieval cannon emplacements at the present) with long-range artillery cannons installed on the flat beds of the improvised vehicles. Nevertheless, their accuracy is not so error-free since the shells sometimes landed on other orks.

Forty-five minutes later, the vassal alliance is seen to have around one hundred thousand troops gone - and now had to deal with deffkoptas using large buzz-saws. Oddly enough, the recon gal was feeling rather dull of seeing the violent brawl from afar (not that she wanted to get herself killed however). A trivial thought inside her head develops in a flash and she subconsciously blurt it out. "I wonder what has happened to my two rambunctious spy-mates that were expelled to um... somewhere. Haven't seen the charming pair for years at this time, although I may not be able to ever see them again."

Out of the blue sky at that moment, the lone woman heard chopping noises within her vicinity and in the rear. She redirect her attention to the audio source, which happens to be several tandem-rotor transport helicopters and cargo half-tracks carrying ork kommandos. Their drop point: the Folmari city of Italica.

Speaking of that urban center, an hour after sundown...

American and British special forces inside their secret hideout grimly watch the bloody conclusion of the battle between the green-skinned invaders and vassal defenders, thru state-of-the-art holograms on tables and real-life footage on some video screens. Accompanying them on the second floor are three unknown characters in covert outfits and the female 'dark-elf' that allowed the tech to be borrowed.

The captain with his peculiar mustache commented, "Oh bollocks, looks like we had to take serious measures concerning these gun-toting orcs sooner or later."

"How about we start with replacing the letter 'c' with a 'k' to make things easier to distinguish from the Falmarian orcs?" An undercover man code-named 'Mickey' with a futuristic plasma shotgun and a slung-over rocket launcher suggested.

"Never mind the misspellings, we humans from Earth are thinking more about the fate of this city."

Another out-of-placed agent with a hand-held heavy machine gun and shoulder-fired ion cannon provide an option. "Well... you guys could leave this place, can you?"

The Delta Force and SAS teams look at 'Dutch' with confusion before the US Army leader of Team Metal ask a question. "If so, is there some guarantees that the people here would be defended or evacuated to safety?"

The pseudo-mysterious guests give off a vibe that indicates some bad news. The dark-skinned lady sigh and answered, "It might personally work on me to conduct a greater endeavor to protect as many innocents as possible in either their defenses or evacuations... when it only applies to me though."

"Wait... just you?" The SAS commanding officer then receives a nod from the colored beauty. Immediately afterwards, he turn his sight on the escorting trio. "So what about you three over there? Did you see anything bloody wrong in saving the locals?"

For a while, the semi-revealed men contemplate on a reply. Mickey then answered, "Well, perhaps a bunch of us here kinda like the chance to feel good about doing ahem... 'heroic' deeds."

"A bunch? What do you mean by a bunch that could help them?"

"Uh... yeah, that group includes me, miss Thorayja among us, Dutch with his favorite weapon, possibly our team leader who is curren-"

The operative with a long-range rail-gun rifle interrupted, "Captain Price, let me say this bluntly: a significant majority of our vast military forces had little to no interest in the welfare of this city's inhabitants; or even the entire population of this continent."

"Technically speaking though, the whole planet is not ours to begin with and the landmass you're on is in a prolonged medieval stasis for millennia." The machine gunner added.

The American team leader 'Sandman' felt perplexed. "Did I understood correctly? That your armies will just leave the men, women, and children of Italica to their demise?!"

"Well... if I was over a thousand years old and couldn't see any remarkable changes within the knowledge and behaviors of the continental community in that timescale by themselves, then I might possibly be less considerable upon the unaltered lifestyles of the enchanted landmass." The woman with her ear-covered headwear conjectured.

"Madam, I don't think your heartless possibility for the future is helping us good guys to figure out why saving this city is not a primary plan." Sandman retorted.

"Hmm... regarding your insistent to be noble heroes, shall we look at the uncertainties following the aftermath of protecting this... strategic location?"

The British captain noted the 'clue' from the calm dame. "Something tells me that you people had already knew the importa-"

A voice from comm devices spoke, "This is Ghost Four Actual to Bravo Six or Team Metal, status report."

Sandman gets the signal from the SAS squad commander to radio back. "Metal Zero-One here, both teams have been notified of the Imperial vassals' defeat. We're currently in discussions with our guests on the options for Italica's fate, over."

"Roger that, Metal 0-1. Advise caution on uh 'Ork' intrusions at this point. Ghost 4 have just concluded our goals with third-party visitors for capturing the trading hub."

"Well that's surprising to hear, Ghost 4 Actual. Are we actually protecting the urban population here?"

"Not just their safety from those violent newcomers, we're also taking away a major breadbasket from the influence of this Saderan Empire. Even if occupying Italica doesn't lead to starvation within their capital city, our boys back in base would use this strategic area as a foothold and launching point for further operations against the Imperials."

"Sounds like good news, sir. I'll contact Gatekeeper about the intel. Anything else to relay, Rorke?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. There's additi- [static sound] kidnapped civili- [electronic crackling continued]"

"Ghost 4 Actual, you're breaking up. Can you repeat that, over?" All Sandman gets are hissing noises from the transmission device. He then hear gun clicks in the room and turn around to see almost every coalition soldiers pointing their firearms (without firing) at the four unknown guests, whose advanced weapons have just been set to arm and the lady's head now covered in a robed hood. Yet their targets are not what the humans from Earth were thinking.

Price demanded, "Ma'am would you mind telling us what the bloody hell got you all alarmed of a sudden?"

Before the female 'dark-elf' could answer, multiple explosions rocked the urban landscape. From an aerial perspective, several buildings inside the city walls are damaged, iron doors of the wall gates (except the one leading to Sadera/Sandera) are blown open, and sections of the stone-made fortifications have giant holes in them.

Very soon, the native residents of Italica hear a collective yet monstrous roar upon them: "WAAAAAAAAGH!"

In an instant, mobs of Ork kommandos came out of their concealment and begin the destruction of any living person in their sight (with sharp or blunt war-tools, firearms, and grenades). More of those sneaky barbarians are arriving to the fortress town by helicopters and cargo half-tracks.

Back in the SAS and Delta Force location, the special operatives are quite alerted by the exterior sounds of gunfire, detonations, civilian screams, and animalistic yells.

"Huh... I was wondering when those cunning greenskins are going to surprise this place," said the heavy machine gun user in a strange calm and wearing a protective helmet that seems to appear out of nowhere.

"If what you people have said to us rings true, then how much of this chaos is some part of an underhanded, grand plot of yours?" The British captain pronounced.

The dark-skinned woman placidly said, "Are you interested in the original plan that has no ork involved?"

Before a slightly stunned Price can answer, a ghost-masked soldier quickly opens the door from the inner hallway and gets several firearms aiming at him initially. The on-guard teams soon recognize their fellow combatant and lower down the guns; while the noises of combat in the building are apparent.

Lt. Gaz commanded, "Lieutenant Riley, speak."

"Everyone, we got ugly tangos on the first floor. All green and very mean. Soap and Roach are guarding the stair to this floor, along with some 'friends' to help them defend. We need to act now!"

"Alright men, clear out the hostiles down there!" The Special Air Service commanding officer ordered. As the soldiers go downstairs, the two British sergeants rain down bullets and grenades onto their orkish foes from improvised barricades while the covert 'allies' fire energy bolts from their advanced armaments instead. Still, the gun-wielding humanoids are resilient enough to survive one headshot from a 5.56mm rifle round and knowledgeable to use grenades and some form of cover. After several 'hot-potatoes' and the rest of the allied teams involved, the remaining kommandos retreat.

Some of the orkoids in the alleyway got blasted to gory pieces by a peculiar 'ranger' with a powerful 'revolver' loaded with explosive rounds as he reaches the building's entrance by foot. "Hey there, lads! Impressive with my kill-shots, right?!" The only answer he gets is the sound of wood crackling from the previous gunfight. "Um... uh-oh." The cloaked man run the other way before the damaged/destabilized support beams of the habitable structure collapse to the ground. The Americans, British, and the few futuristic 'rangers' on ground level were quick and lucky enough to not be buried by the unsupported sections, but now they had to find another way to go outside. Ironically, that recent pile of mess is rather shaped like a ramp leading to the floor (aside from a small gap between it and the second floor).

First group to utilize the 'opportunity' is composed of the 'secretive' yet suddenly armored agents of Team Alpha-Nineteen; with Dutch and Mickey taking action, while Romeo take sniper position inside what's left of the building. Sure enough, automatic fire from the kommando-comandeered apartment viewing the escape path is unleashed at the duo; which forced them to split for the sides of the pseudo-ramp. The marksman methodically aim and trigger his rail-gun at one adversary's head, resulting in the destruction of the greenskin's brain. "Target down!" He immediately finds another target inside the garrisoned insula and shoot with precision, drawing incoming bullets at him.

Captain Price and his squadmates just arrived on the secondary level when they witnessed the sniper changing position while under fire. "Situation report, marksman!"

The undercover sharpshooter heard him and said, "Hostiles have a clear view to shoot us from the taken apartment!"

Still out of sight, the British leader hand-signaled his team to halt. Next, he crouch and slowly move his assault rifle out of hiding; which gives a false impression that he's in an upright stance. Consequently, orkish gunshots wipe out the upper part of wall above John Price. "Well that's just bloody great!"

Romeo take aim once more... only to see and hear a big blast inside the barbarian-seized building that destroyed the outer wall for the second floor - and pushed out three Orks to the outdoors. Followed by discharges of bullets that left some greenskins on that floor being blown to pieces, plasma bolts ejected to the opponents on the third level, and later machine gun fire at ground level that explosively obliterate those kommandos getting up.

Dutch look at his 'lady-friend's handiwork. "Just in case you 'green' nimrods want to know, that was Vera's way of saying hi." Straightaway though, the gunner hears the sound of the damaged support beams losing their strength. He casually step some yards backward before the desecrated portions crumbles to the stone-paved surface.

The 'dark-elf' woman safely lands on the ramp-like pile from the third floor of the spec-ops' previous stay. Once the smokes and dusts diminished, she can clearly notice the covert explosive expert holding his shotgun... and a familiar critic with the deadly revolver... and a plasma auto-rifle just in case.

"Okay everyone, the barbarians have left the building!" The rather lighthearted ranger shouted the 'update'.

No applauds, however. Just silence... apart from the background of 'combat.'

"Or... what's left of this pre-industrial insula... and the mangled bodies that used to be uh..."

"Kaydin... just come down here, please." A slightly annoyed Tamari suggested as she points her fingers on the terra firma.

"Uh... sure thing, Tammy." The woman synchronously chuckle and shake her head a bit at the ranger's remark.

With all things quiet for the time being, the British and American teams carefully navigate down the ramp from the second floor. Meanwhile, Agents Buck and Washburne uses the still-intact stairs to convene with the female 'supervisor.'

"Quite a day we have here uh, 'highness.' Anyway, do these tourists wanted to get out of this upheaval?" asked the carefree 'gunslinger.'

"Aside from a possible withdrawal, can you tell the undercover visitors how to find the jamming contraptions in this urban battlefield?"

"Uh... hold on, showing them how to stop the Ork jammers that I had little to no idea where those ah, uh... now wait a minute, isn't that supposed one of our specialties for this turmoil?"

"Well, Lieutenant Buck, you did just received a job to protect these specialized 'Terrans' from serious harm." Thorayja soon pat his shoulder a few times with a smirk before she supernaturally jump onto an apartment's top roof and move out of sight.

Kaydin confusingly look at the SAS and Delta Force personnel. "Oh... 'kay... guess that means you poster boys are under the safeguard of this babysitter and his teammates here; for now at least. Ahem... so, have any of you soldiers noticed the disruption in telecommunications?"

"Yeah, we all do right here. Now quit bollocking around and tell us urgently on the bloody whereabouts of those jamming signals!" The British team-leader demanded.

"Oh sure, sure, I get the urgency. It's certainly, very important to understand that only the green-pigmented barbarians know their locations. Therefore, we need to find the Orks, kill them, and destroy those obnoxious gadgets to smithereens!"

Price is relatively displeased. "Hmm... another question for you."

"Go ahead, mister. This black-ops lieutenant here can answer your intrigues of me."

Well... that didn't sound right. "Seriously, you a lieutenant? How'd a muppet like you get to be made lieutenant?"

"Eh, what's a muppet you say?"

* * *

 **After reading the impressive chapters from ' _The Janus Campaign_ ' by user kiyone4ever, I am contemplating on potential re-editing for the possibility of a different form of English to arisen by chance, despite the odds... or somebody outside the enchanted continent to come in and teach the language (before the Gate opens again). The other options would be like letting the mutant dialect of Latin/Greek be the only one for communication... or have the magical portal to reopen every thousand years or so. Might be helpful to have some tips on what to recommend, as the status of the detained camp followers in this story is not quite solid at the moment.**

 **Opinions on the battles being depicted here could give insights on what I might be missing.**

 **11-9-2017: Changes to the African greed sequence.**

 **1-14-2018: New scene about digging up unmarked 'graves.' It was quite inspired by what I read on the Battlefield: Gate Company thread at the SpaceBattles creative forums, supervised by user Dr. Doctor.  
**


	7. Side Story 1 (Anger Issues)

_**Feedback to zzxxphaser: Hmm... maybe you're right about myself being hasty from time to time, despite the review being kinda... vague. For that, I may put more time in rechecking my written projects for anything unclear. Still, pointing out on what I miss is appreciated.**_

 ** _Originally, this was supposed to be a small section for the next chapter. Instead, it developed into a semi-peripheral tale of over 23,000 words... and debatable influences from personal livelihood. Adding to that was a much longer scrutiny on this work by myself, whether the resentments or uneasiness are real/valid, exaggerated, disconnected, or falsely imagined._**

 ** _Nevertheless... outside probing, edit suggestions, and narrative revisions for this 'delusional' side story is allowed. Like the other previous chapters. (Also, be careful with reading the fictitious depictions of a... fanatical/extreme 'fringe' group on the human side. Yuck.)_  
**

* * *

Somewhere in a California suburb around 8 PM…

There was a house at night: garage, windows, front door; plenty of rock pebbles and several vegetation like trees and bushes on the front yard; three cars parked outside; chimney; gardens in the backyard; and anything else that made it a rather, typical suburban home of the USA.

Unless you're a robotic soldier of an undercover squad hiding in the plant life or with their invisibility cloaks on. Alongside listening to what's inside the habitable structure, which sounded uh… hostile.

"Mrs. Mou, I can fully understand your deep concerns about Jayken's future. But I think it would have been very appreciative for you, as a mother, to allow more thoughtful kindness in your heart. Can you do that for once instead of non-stop scolding and intrusive organizing on him for months on end?"

"Then how will I get my lazy son to be productive, aside from watching TV, looking at the Internet, and playing his Nintendo games?!"

"Correction ma'am, he's currently fond of the latest Xbox console games from Microsoft. Right now, Jayken and I were making progress on sorting out the videotapes for digital recovery or proper disposal. Although there still a lot of those VHS records to go thro-"

"Why can't you just throw them away?! They're old, deteriorating, and taking up space while you and my child are being too slow to look through every one of them!"

"Gah… like I said, I'm doing as much as I can to help him develop better decision-making and habits for his eventual independence. And that is without using aggressive tactics so often like you usually do. Besides, you're just as fallible as your 26-year-old son when it comes to certain behaviors like buying up furniture and trinkets that gets shoved into the supposed space that you wanted to reclaim; or your constant need to reorganize without approval from your family me-"

"THAT is none of your business! You're supposed to help Jayken get a job, not telling me what to do with my stuff!"

"Ugh… listen Tianna, the competition for jobs like research assistant or lab technician right now is still fierce. Even with a Bachelor of Science degree that he had from college and additional aid from other employment experts, it's going to take a while for an entry-level position to be open."

"Yet it has been three years since my son graduated from university! THREE YEARS OF UNEMPLOYMENT! Nothing but unproductive laziness with his distracting hobbies!"

"Uh… that's not entirely true for his initial job-seeking attempts on the first year after college, Mrs. Mou. Think about it, we can't perfectly expect our goals and desires to be fulfilled in a way that you, I, or anybody else wanted in reali-"

"Then he should have worked harder back in those days, and harder right at this instant! I'm not going to have my boy become a great dishonor to me, MY FAMILY, RELATIVES, AND COWORKERS!"

"Ma'am, MA'AM! Can you please stop being such a relentless nagger again?! I'm getting increasingly irritated by your harsh brand of dissatisfaction, but I'm also been deeply concern with Jayken's psychological health being hammered repeatedly by your intolerable rebukes and all!"

"Yet, look at him! He's not supposed to be possessive and sentimental at objects that does not belong to him and are considered junk! Not willing to donate his outgrown toys or clothes! And being so STUPID to-"

"Tianna, listen to yourself! You're employed as a registered nurse for many years at a hospital filled with patients, in addition to being a follower of Christ's teachings; and yet you as a mother kept shouting at him left and right with such severity that he would one day violently react to your disciplinary efforts. Have you forgotten how sensitive and unstable your autistic son is, regardless of his 'mild' conditions?! And on the same topic of humanity, why can't you be considerate of multiple perspectives instead of just one that matters only to yourself?"

At this point onward, the conversations continued to be… well… 'contested' inside the house; even when the husband/father join in the ruckus to conclude the tough dialogues peacefully - albeit a longer period to do so. Outside meanwhile, the hidden combatants were getting uncomfortable of hearing someone being too close to an individual with a different neurological wiring than the 'common' population.

For nine months… and also not supposed to be here as intended.

"Isn't our misplaced Trojan mare getting too attached with that… 'weird' client, lead?" One of the subordinate says digitally/telepathically.

"Honestly soldier, I'm not exactly certain as to what should really matters for her. Let face it, she and her other female companions were originally grown and modified to be surveillance assets on the progression of the Saderan Empire's inner workings - in plain sight."

"In which those attractive ladies were deployed a few months after the conclusive Imperial victory over the Vieran tribes. As planned, all the uh… 'femme fatales' got captured by bandits or slavers who then sold them to buyers as properties."

"Except for the ill-disciplined, hell-raising pair that were transferred away elsewhere before their supposed deployment with the rest of those beauties; and the tiny fraction below five percent that somehow gotten themselves free from captivity - sooner than expected. Nonetheless, the enslaved spies did a good job in observing the rather slow deterioration of the Roman-like society… without reliable inputs of indentured labor from conquests to keep the Empire functional for its status quo."

"And without the automatic paralysis implants being activated inside them, whenever five percent or more of those gals attempted to escape enslavement."

"Which didn't happen for six good years - until the appearance of that magic portal leading to this world we're in. Of course, the cybernetics at that moment were starting to steadily degrade as intended. Thus, there's a low probability of the freeze command to work on everyone of those secret assets."

"Well, it definitely would still be irrelevant to those delinquent duo that unbelievably broke free of such mind-control during the first test run on all the female subjects. Sure, I could understand the red-haired tomboy being very angry at her designated purpose and the implant. For the violet-headed one though… it sounded quite ridiculously to think that she liberated herself by crying and whining of all things."

Another covert synthetic from the team intervened, "Squad leader, can we wrap up the history lessons at anytime now?"

Before an answer could be said, the sound of a front door being open happens. Out came an appealing woman in casual long-sleeved shirt/blouse, long pants, and low-heeled shoes. Her facial features of black hair and moderate-brown skin made this person seem more akin to people living in the Middle East… or possibly reminiscent of ancient Egyptians or even the olive-skinned descendants of ancient Israelites. After saying goodnight and the front door closes though, her smiling facade gives way to a mood of slight disappointment over the previous 'talks' with the aging 'tiger' mother. Just as the woman took a small step outwards, harsh yells of a discontented senior lady verbalized through the door material. Hearing that again made her feel very… frustrating. "Ugh… Good Lord, how could she act like this for almost a lifetime?" muttered the displeased 'social service' beauty. Very soon, she resume walking towards her small orange car parked alongside the sidewalk across the street.

Following behind the woman however, was the commanding officer of the covert team (still in cloak mode). Once at the automobile, she opened the driver door for the front seat. The female character got inside and proceeded to close the door… when the car-attached object suddenly became unmovable. After a second attempt, she glanced at the unshunt door… which led to her noticing the decloaked spec ops leader holding the steel construct in place with 'its' left arm.

"Nadelle, it might be wise to detach the 'contract' with this um… 'Aspie' lad in the immediate future. Yes?"

The unhappy driver shook her head at that option. "That would be quite cruel and negligent to forsake him to uncertainty at this time."

"Hmm… ma'am, this isn't as… Daaahh… okay, I get it. This Jayken does have some social handicaps… and altered cerebral wiring that could hamper his success in obtaining a desirable job; and it doesn't help that the year-round demanding pressure from his tough-love, overbearing mother seem to make the autistic Asian-American more irate everyday. Even so, the little dramas you got yourself in were out - of - context with the severe abuses that you and your clandestine sisters have endured under years of Imperial bondage back on the other side."

"Well… it's good to know that the tough Spartan-like indoctrination and biological modifications, on me and the rest of my covert sisterhood since childhood, did prepare us to take more punishments within our 'highly' dangerous professions. And that even includes being dragged to Tokyo of this 'Earth' by my former owners ⎯ and getting captured by the Japanese Yakuza for several weeks before our 'Japan-bound' black operatives retrieved me."

"Can't disagree with that one, miss. Still… helping the 'mentally challenged' to be sufficiently independent was not, and I mean it, not the critical priority that us foreign 'stewards' had set out to fulfill. Considering the precarious situation of the entire planet, which is conceivably one of the very few places in this distinct universe to have life arisen, you should have been keeping a covert eye on one of the most severe violators of the delicate biosphere… or even human integrity instead of this social 'healing' project of yours that may not have a strong likelihood of success within a lifetime. Additionally, the amount of years required for this individual triumph might not be available at all if we or this entire human race don't do enough crucial efforts to restore the ecological balance that kept all the organisms now alive from becoming extinct on this lonely blue speck."

With traces of ire, Nadelle said, "I'm sorry, sir… I just heard you saying integrity as a primary concern here. When was the last time we 'synthetic' visitors ever care about integrity? As far as my good memories go, I had let lustful and selfish men took heavy advantages of my body for the sake of undercover surveillance. I did not intervene the heavy mistreatment of the native slave girls and women from different origins as the higher echelon ordered. I had witness many acute depressions among the subjugated mortals, human or otherwise, that weren't as fortunately prepared as us spies. I used to receive telepathic data from my enslaved sisters on the extensive exploitation throughout the Empire… and the very small minority of 'property owners' that genuinely shown kindness and respect to their acquired servants like family - rather than just expendable uh… toys. A number of years later, my eyes and ears had observe the struggling institution of bondage gasping for more slaves to keep itself and the Imperial society alive; without being allowed to suggest a different transitional path to 'save' their civilization."

"Speaking of which, it would have been… sort of interesting to see what a slow decline of a Roman-style empire looks like; and that is without any interruption outside of their continent trapped in a medieval stasis for eons."

"Does that translate to the hypothetical cost of lives, diversity, knowledge, and the natural environment during a gradual decay of a superpower similar to Ancient Rome; when there are no outsiders, unknown diseases, and other external pressures that once befallen to that Mediterranean empire of yore?"

"Quite on the mark, ma'am. But thanks to the space-time portal reappearing on the so-called sacred ground, we may never find out how much 'irreplaceable' treasure will be gobbled up to ruin. Alternatively though, seeing the turbulent conditions of a parallel Earth on the other side has riled up plenty of us bored troops with a renewed sense of purpose."

"Yeah… and here we are, bringing in large armies that strive to compel this humanity's collective consciousness to 'evolve' out of their unregulated transgressions. Which often includes non-military massacres and sabotage of uncared infrastructures that millions depend on these days!"

"Actually… our much bigger forces right now are more like professional occupiers than the still-active, unorthodox guerrillas that previously traveled through the inter-dimensional gateway; which was before those Imperials solidified the 'Gate.' Nonetheless… there some validations to say that the people of this Earth had it coming; no matter how 'insane' such perspective may seem to someone very naive in human kindness or too ignorant about their ethnocentric invincibility. Think about it, decades of unregulated population growth, ravenous greed, and stubborn denial has turned precious sources of life into big… shitholes of despair!" A moment of silence before the high-ranking soldier speak again. "Thus the dire need for the humans themselves to quit devastating their only home in the cosmos and clean up their man-made mess… or else there won't be anybody for hundreds of thousands of years to even form basic opinions of their previous achievements and failures. And that meant no biodiversity, no forests, no grasslands, farms, rivers, lakes… decipherable books, working electronics, functioning technologies, and not even humanity itself in such a desolate and empty future. Ugh… how lonely can that be?!"

"Uh… sir, that exposition sounded more relevant when the first black-operation teams entered this planet of life. Nowadays in contrast, there are a lot more people committed to widespread production of technologies and revision of policies that will greatly repair their modern civilization… and restore this Earth to a more stabilized habitat for all living things to continue their existence. As for ill news however…"

"Please, no need for reminders on how many humans still act like horrible monsters or wanted to devour so much for their own selfish, shortsighted desires… in addition to plenty more trying to violently stop our large-scale, unconventional invasions from disrupting such dangerous cravings. Kinda wish that those Homo sapiens should focus their energy in benevolent solutions rather than making self-absorbed, fallible clashes with us or even their own kind."

"Also in the wish list is us 'invaders' to gradually be more altruistic than our present intervention… and even the same idea to that hyper-demanding, perfect-seeking bitch that called herself a responsible mom!"

The commanding soldier stared at her for a short moment, then look back at the house before returning 'his' sight on her. "Nadelle, there are writings on him that said: 'Warning - Jayken is a walking, psychological landmine.' You should know already about the high probability that he'll attempt matricide to stop the constant nagging. The legal consequences of such reactive behavior will be very ugly to stomach; something that a spying asset with critical information like you should never get involved. And besides… both the mother and even the father of that autistic progeny are at fault of not giving him the genuine love and guidance needed to completely secure a productive future by himself. Not your ingrained liability in making the parents understand or correct their past errors of raising him to be independent, while managing his Asperger Syndrome... or more appropriately regarded as high-functional autism. Another thing… is this family, specifically this man-child, really important when being compared to the billions of lives that proved to be ve-"

"Officer, that's enough! I'm already too well aware of the destructive actions done by corrupt human egos and mob mentalities on this lonely world. Hhaa… yet who would be unthinkable to ignore a parent that harshly disciplined his or her own offspring since birth, without success? It isn't right."

"Ma'am… we still recommend the decision to leave them be and spy somewhere else more significant. Furthermore, you've already stored a good amount of his gametes inside your reproductive organs through your more… passionate actions for at least a decade of genetic storage. Despite the fact that we collectively suggested total restraint from doing such questionable deeds, which you demonstrably ignored. Along with plenty of mixed DNA 'samples' gathered through the same, explicit process from the other… 'appropriately aged' clients for potentially four years of chromosome splicing one or more off-springs; considering that you seem to expressed great 'pity' upon their 'bad' luck in life or mutations on paternal heritage. At the very least, your 'intimate' interactions here were very consensual; rather than the Saderan sperms you had completely rejected during Imperial bondage. Got it?"

The lady stare at the agent with slight… anger. She then yanked the car door a couple times before the covert 'robot' let go of the hinged barrier connected to the vehicle. After being all sealed inside the automobile, the woman starts the engine and drives far from the location. The squad leader shook his/its head in some form of dissatisfaction.

"Oh jeez, when did our Trojan horse became a dedicated humanitarian… or gone native for all that matters?" One of the subordinates puzzled.

"Somewhere hidden during training or while being enslaved, I presumed… and possibly after witnessing several misdeeds by Yakuza members when dealing with captured Falmarian noncombatants that were not detained by the Tokyo police force and military units from Japan's SDF and USF-J."

"The same could be said about the controversial protocols among our asymmetric groups remaining in that island nation, sir. Particularly in regards to the humanoids not under international protection, enslaved or not."

"Boy… can't imagine those weird otaku groups obsessed with duh… monster-girls getting very upset if revealed. I may also add in the non-Japanese, human invaders and camp followers; whose pleas for freedom out of Yakuza control had been turned a blind eye by the covert battalion. Anyhow, send out a message to our active commanders for valid contingency plans about this… anomaly."

"Understood."

Around 4:00 AM in the morning, within two blocks from a certain hospital/medical center….

Nadelle's car was now parked among some warehouses and a few apartments that often houses patients receiving care from the health institution… where Tianna Mou worked there as a registered nurse from 7AM to 4PM. The female individual on the driver seat has inner confusion on what to do: should she make more attempts in softening the old nurse's tough-love personality, give warnings to her with words…

Or fists…

Or outright kill the bitching mother.

Minutes goes by and it seemed that the gal's thoughts were in line for a series of beatings heavy enough to just keep the 60 year-old senior alive. That said, this kind of premeditation could definitely landed her decades of prison life… or execution. Also, it could inadvertently done more harm to Jayken than expected. So why go to such length of violence… for him? Above all, why can't she abandon the disabled man and hope everything will be alright in the end?

Sounded very foolish/misguided from an outside perspective… without a full comprehension of what has transpired since the secret agent's arrival on the US West Coast (and after being 'released' out of mafia captivity by the inland battalion stationed in Japan). In her first month of sightseeing travel within the coastal states (from Washington to California) at her own pace, the supposed spy saw an array of advanced technologies, national parks, native wildlife, high-rise cities, academic institutions, rural towns, entertainment and shopping centers, diverse people with their own distinct cultures and languages, and other 'modern' aspects of America that made it quite different from her time inside the Saderan Imperium.

Unfortunately though, all of these wonders were accompanied by the ever present issues yet to be completely solved (no matter how big or small); such as poverty on the streets, wealth distribution, corporate corruptions, depleting fossil fuels and their ecological pollution, overuse of potent drugs, invasive species, aging infrastructures, poaching, and hostile fringe groups not very fond of multicultural diversity. As she traveled downward in a semi-zigzag pattern to observe much of each state, her urge to do something grow but Nadelle had yet to made a decision on which priority to focus at that point (thus warranted more information gathering about the unstable factors in debate).

By contrast, her 'robotic compatriots' across the Western Hemisphere, Oceania, and east half of Asia efficiently made preparations for confronting these problems (which often included constant or irregular assaults on targets that the human species procrastinated to resolve… without peaceful actions and regardless of the people that were going to suffer due to mankind's own negligence). The chaos could take at least a year to wake-up this humanity from its unsafe delusions of what they wanted the planet to be; as well as getting the Earthlings (particularly the corporate leaders and politicians who falsely believed that nothing is wrong with the planet) to fully acknowledge the harsh realities of what are at stake here.

Hopefully, the great nations of this Terra would focus heavily on implementing solutions to the huge follies they made… instead of trying to achieve total victory over the much more elusive 'synthetics' or even continuing the hatred/fighting/antagonism between each other - upon which both attacking factions could suddenly get slaughtered by the sneaky alien 'robots.'

Still… the undercover woman does not appreciated the brutal, drastic measures that had been implemented to change the world for the 'greater good.' Adding to such uneasiness is an inner trait for compassion to others that was developed during her time as a slave of the Saderan Empire; whenever she got crammed into holding cells full of enslaved people and listened to their personal grievances - or seeing the abusive results of their masters.

After that first month, Nadelle continued to figure out a disguised position for espionage and over-watching irresponsible entities - while in the middle of California towards the US/Mexican border. However, what was not anticipated by the stealth 'robots' and herself were series of coincidental encounters with the human named Jayken in different places (whose 'awkward' social interactions with strangers unwittingly appeared from time to time; despite his outlook being quite… normal when compared to public bystanders overall). Whether the site be a museum, zoo, or aquarium for using his digital camcorder; bookstore, retail shop, video store, supermarket, shopping mall, or video-game shop for any interesting items to buy; public library or university; restaurant to eat; or somewhere else. Most people, being too busy with their own livelihoods/priorities (and not exactly trained to be dedicated professionals that provides guidance and assistance to the physically and/or mentally 'challenged'), would ignore him… while some just harshly complained; regardless of whenever his quirky attributes were expressed or ever cared by ordinary civilians to be notable. It unpredictably turns out that the brown-skinned sleeper agent was not like other 'common' folks, as she became curious enough to initiate her interactions with this individual… although the initial contacts were met with reactive hesitations on his part of meeting unknown persons. Still, Nadelle maintained her careful persistence in getting an overall picture of this relatively shy man; without herself being mistaken as a stalker. A few more weeks of friendlier communications later (including the parents at their home or elsewhere), the Asian-American felt quite relaxed with the lady's presence; comfortable enough to talk about his type of autism, academic achievements from a university that he'd graduated, private hobbies, material possessions, the number of personnel from government and private sectors that were currently rehabilitating him for job search, existing obstacles to social improvement/management, et cetera.

Consequently, this personal investigation further influenced her path to assume an undercover role as a kind of rehab/employment 'specialist.' Meaning that the 'expected' tasks necessary to make someone like Jayken being more functional towards independence include evaluating his job skills, interpersonal etiquette, ongoing progress for employment, at-home manners, assessing sentimental values in collections of peculiar items (new and old), volunteering opportunities, and interviewing practices; while being as calm as possible - regardless of how problematic/unproductive the man's habits could be (when they do show up). Of course… she does want this incognito position to be looked really 'genuine' in the eyes of many Americans. Therefore, the self-employed agent requested the asymmetric warfare trespassers to 'fabricate' certificates and licenses related to being a rehabilitation professional… which they did - despite their big reluctance to kindly interrupt social/altruistic matters that should had been resolved by the humans themselves.

As time gone by for each following month, her altruism slowly but surely extended to the more unfortunate people; like those civilians with various disabilities, in poverty, and/or even war veterans having trouble with post-traumatic stress disorder. Admittedly though, Nadelle had to be thoughtful on who has a viable chance for a functional lifestyle; since there's little she could do for souls whose health disorders were just too severe to recover from, drug addicts that already had highly debilitating problems due to heavy use of narcotics, individuals whose intense hatred/psychosis of anybody or everything made themselves virtually nonredeemable for genuine reconciliation, and so on - sadly enough. And then there were those that died in unusual circumstances at a later time... regardless of how friendly, fair, and/or promising they once were when the female agent first met. Such series of ill-fated incidents contained car crashes, antibiotic-resistant infections, suicides by guns, lethal viruses, venom bites, intense allergy reactions, gang violence, brain-eating amoebas, cancer cells, industrial chemical poisonings, unanticipated electrocutions, house fires, and other independent cases that the robotic vigilantes did not actually brought about.

Additionally… there were growing, apparent recognition among the 'illegal visitors' that transforming the lives of the handicaps into resemblances of 'normalcy' would necessitate an abundant amount of time. Time that seem to be in very short supply (and alarmingly decreasing) for a living planet in the brink of an ecological apocalypse, all thanks to the unrestrained 'sins' of human domination that would clearly seal out any brighter possibility for the future existence of the entire human species. Under that line of logic meanwhile, the mechanical black-operatives firmly opted for 'drastic' measures to curb such destructive fallacies and show all of mankind how weak their supposedly advanced civilization really was; if no significant actions were being made to consciously fix the global situation… and 'business as usual' went unopposed. Not the humanitarian options for human welfare that requires a lot of patience to accomplish… which was something that the alien guerrillas felt less imperative, given the unstable sets of circumstances.

Even so… Nadelle remain committed to the rehabilitation of her clients with their diverse array of handicapped conditions (on the other hand, her more 'X-rated' healing methods with viable and unmarried guys had to be kept very hidden from highly 'inquisitive' onlookers. For less confusion, they're only one person per visit, at particular times, and regardless of using birth-control pills that the woman's body circumvented). Perhaps too invested in altruistic efforts than doing actual espionage, from the covert viewpoints of the foreign synthetics. That being said, she does have several fair shares of issues that periodically challenges her 'responsibilities' to instill such disadvantaged groups with their own sense of what they want to achieve. Like that recent example of Jayken's aging mom, Tianna Mou, being so… aggressively demanding without real considerations for her son's psychological healing (or someone else's delicate feelings) that such 'authoritarian' personality has made the seemingly gentle beauty feel… crazy about it!

Which brought back to the current state of mind that the 'Middle-Eastern' woman was having afterwards. As a matter of fact, she dwell so much on her inner chaos that the female driver very slowly notice a pack of feathered dinosaurs (the 'dromaeosaur' kind that is) sitting or standing on top of the car's roof and hood. The unexpected scene obviously got her confused on why these 'pest control' assets did that, before she finally spotted the dino-handler that walked to the driver door from behind. 'His' secretive outfits of civilian clothing and 'confiscated' assault rifle (made in the U.S. of A) indicated that the operative belonged to the first unconventional combat corps to 'invade' this Earth.

"Didn't processed the probability of seeing you in disappointment, Nadelle." The covert terminator soon received a squinty stare from the disgruntled lady, while she roll down the car window.

The raven-haired gal then spoke while her eyelids are closed, "So… what's your business of interrupting my… personal turmoil?"

"Well… to be quite frank, I didn't intend to put comrade intervention as one of my top priorities here. Alas, I was recently informed by our 'civilized' pals about someone's frustrations being so bad that **she** may likely try to murder an unarmed, senile hag… in California. Which most often implies you, yes?"

The driver looked at the disguised combatant with a minor dissatisfaction. "Hmm… shouldn't you be somewhere in Europe or Africa today? With your vigilante group, that is."

"I could have, senorita. But that's only if I allowed myself to cast aside my deep awareness of those volatile extremists, foreign and domestic, who still think that a uh… 'white-only' nation or totalitarian caliphate is possible in a land of 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' for all mankind. Unknown to the fanatical cretins, we had past records of several human planets back in our universe, which is the non-magical one specifically, that undergone similar endeavors to established a desirable paradise of conformity and… 'purity.' As it turns out, generations forward however, those attractive visions ultimately gave way to internal nightmares that pathetically mocked those ethnocentric ideologies; without any outside intervention occurring. Which effectively translate to the total stagnation of their entire bodies and minds to actually understand objective truths and 'adapt' themselves to new challenges. It's also too bad that the stubborn fanaticism of intolerance and paranoia towards beneficial changes or random mutations, within the majority, was the main source for their sad collapse."

"Jesus… certainly don't want to imagine the shear shortages of essential creativity in an enforced monolithic culture, blind obedience to authority without serious questioning on catastrophic decisions, genetic vulnerabilities to different diseases as a likely result of wanting an entire population to be virtually identical, a-"

"And the huge loads of other consequential detriments that the possessive 'supremacists' didn't evaluate critically enough; even if such dark-minded fantasies did, by chance, managed to come to fruition on this cosmic oasis of life… again. In an ironic point of view, biologically speaking, they're not too different from what a lot of humans living here had frequently done: impulsively act on immediate desires now, dimly think about the unintended destruction later."

"Uh… would that profound implication be valid on other sapient species and robotic groups that developed outside of 'Terra,' distinct lifeforms living in the magical dimension, … and others experimented long ago?"

"Hmm… that depends on each alien organization having enough wisdom to recognize grave mistakes. Complicated examples on intellectual usage includes several extraterrestrial species that formed the Covenant or Advent, Cabal Imperials, Gua, Seraphim, Espheni, Scrin, Inbits, Yautjas, Formics, Psychlos, Zins, Cephalo-Charybdis, Goa'ulds, Daggras, Eliksni… Okay, okay, enough off-topic lectures on galactic doom and gloom for now. Let us return to the confusing subject about yourself, ma'am: an oath of nonviolence that you had personally sworn yourself to upheld during your American operations on this human 'home-planet.' I'm… quite honestly impressed by your self-restraints of violence as a noble woman, perceived by humanity to have noble intentions for the imperfect strangers."

The lady on the car seat glared at the rare remark. "I'm a bit surprised that you could say something sympathetic, while continuing to follow procedures of 'extermination' to wrongdoers."

"True, but my current preferences in taking out villains involved more efficiency than brutish warning signs made by my black-ops pals. Which was before I separated on my own accord, of course. Even so… those homegrown fascists are fairly resourceful in staying alive from our 'judgments' toward their nightmarish order. Thus, they should never be underestimated."

"Yeah… one of many, shameful facts on humanity's inner darkness. Does an extremely, stern mother counts as one?" Nadelle solemnly questioned.

"Is that the main source of your mental upheavals that could forever ruin your lifelong vows of altruistic practices? A parent with high worries for her son's future?"

The gal slowly chucked, "Pah, ah… ha, ha… her 'worries' for him? Tch… heh, heh… BULLSHIT!" Her tighten fist slammed downwards onto the airbag section of the steering wheel. Inadvertently though, such 'superhuman' punch was hard enough to activate the safety mechanism designed for car crashes; leading to a bloated, white sac that instantly crowded the driver's seat.

The feathered dinosaurs got slightly shocked by the sudden scene, but they calm down after a while.

A voice from the car's interior notified, "Agent... that act of rage almost damages the manual option for controlling this lovely car I'm installed in."

"Hmm... sorry. Just... aaawww god, it feels increasingly unbearable to me on why Tianna cannot allow her ever rigorous motherhood to soften up."

The 'stoically rogue' soldier stated, "Uh… what?"

The woman grumbled as the airbag deflated, and she gotten a little bit somber. "Ugh… the motherly 'love' from Mrs. Mou just looked… so fucking, damn wrong."

"Okay… isn't the old lady smart enough to realize her supposed errors?"

"Hmm… let's be clear again, operative. I do understand her intent to get her only son, Jayken, a productive career and managing his life independently. And yet…"

"No need to give out a long, detailed picture for me to comprehend, miss. Long story short, the mother's relentless riots on him, for god-knows how long, to do fruitful things had unwittingly worsen his self-esteem to better himself. Which sort of made the ever commanding senior similar to an ancient slave-master who cared greatly about her own, egotistical satisfactions of perfectionism; rather than repairing the emotional connecti-..." The covert guerrilla abruptly processed an unsaid statement. "Hey, wait… shouldn't the affected mama-boy **be** the one to assertively express his grievances on the nonstop, parental scolding?"

Some period of silence at present, until the female spy replied, "In honest terms of common sense… yes. I really wanted him to courageously defuse her harsh yells and persuade Tianna to steadily be patient with him remaking his own livelihood. Hell… a few times did I prepared the poor lad in achieving such hopefulness as his own."

"Yet the outcomes you two sought after never materialized, correct?"

"Ugh… what we got instead were the same style of angry rebukes from that maternal progenitor; as if mending psychological wounds was nonexistent to her 'soul.' 'Naturally,' both of us felt upset about that authoritarian stubbornness." Immediately though, the olive-skinned person recalled a disturbing moment that put herself in a very miserable mood. "Well… apparently for Jayken however, the intense pressures for obedience became too hard to accept."

"So… how does that translate to…?"

"Self-restraint you mean?" The undercover beauty then receives a nod from the 'disguised' combatant. She breath out a sigh, followed by another disclosure about this client. "I'll be frank on this part: there's nothing funny about me realizing the internal anger that he had kept concealed from virtually everyone for several years. I cannot deny his subtle twitches of… wrath on my watch, whenever Mrs. Mou's unrestricted scoldings befallen on her son; as well as my time and energy to painstakingly pacify his hidden fury. In fact, one failed attempt for reconciliation had him… push out his own mother violently; which almost led to a bloody disaster; were it not for me intervening that unsettled debacle."

"Good heaven… it appears that your 'job' of guiding this autistic client to a productive and untroubled life was getting too close of an impossibility to fulfill. If so, shouldn't you stop your pointless refusal to give up the support… when it's very clear that a horrible ending and the following fallouts will occur anyway?"

A rather 'mad' Nadelle looked at the synthetic being. "Which… bad ending? The one where the tormented man gets sentenced to severe, capital punishments for perpetrating a grave felony against his unforgivable parent? The real possibility of my 'soul' undergoing great sorrow for letting Jayken's hostility run amok; in spite of given all my time, help, and love in him to improve his own life? Or was it about my thoughts on drastic prevention that could cost me my… uh…?" Her undamped feelings of frustration put a pause on words.

Surprisingly, the 'dino-herder' took out a folded piece of paper from one of the clothed pockets and then hand it towards the driver.

"Uh… what's this?" Nadelle asked in puzzlement as she grab the item and soon unravel its inner content.

"My recently hand-drawn map of this city alone on scratch paper. More specifically, the contemporary hideouts of a dangerous paramilitary group with 'xenophobic' tendencies against their 'undesirable' neighbors."

Sure enough, the expanded map reveals the few 'hidden' locations of domestic 'terrorists' across the specified area. Although… there were nothing said about this urban guidance tool being made by 'human' hands (written names and drawn shapes of streets and buildings in a relatively short time with high accuracy). Or why one 'villainous' spot was nine blocks away from the same hospital that the senior nurse worked in… as well as being seven blocks behind the current position of the beautiful spy.

Which she had quizzically noticed… plus the more concerning aspect labeled on that medical facility. "Eh… what the hell? Why is the hospital marked as 'enemy objective' for a lynching mob to attack?! Including an Afro-American church, Buddhist temple, a mosque, two synagogues, and a mental health center at 8 AM today?! Is this some type of sick joke that you fabricated?!" The shocked woman exclaimed.

"I'm afraid the details on that map are certainly not fake news, fellow agent. Supposedly, the FBI were keeping track of these militant bigots through their undercover snitch. Unfortunately though, the angry extremists discovered the infiltration and brutally dealt with the double agent. Since then, I'd been primarily the one tracking their movements, weaponry purchases, and twisted goals for several weeks. As for stopping those tainted ideas of the 'American Dream'... on the contrary."

"Wait… what do you mean? Shouldn't the local law enforcement agencies already know about their terror plans by now to intercept?"

"Again, the aggressive supremacists escaped government surveillance after disposing the FBI mole; despite not having jamming equipment. Therefore, the 'Big Brother' police force are currently in the dark of such preparations for evil deeds. And if that's not worst enough for the Americans, eliminating those 'bad guys' by us 'aliens' has just been cancelled at this point."

"Say again… are we no longer using violence to achieve our objectives? "

"Actually… it's doing nothing. Making no actions at all. Not even diplomatic interventions for the time being, unless an impossible order would say otherwise."

"Eh… seriously?! Why in damnation would we allow an abhorrent part of humanity to be unresolved?!"

"For this unlucky case, one concern is whether the US citizenry still maintain their vigilance or had grown too complacent in earning and protecting their freedoms; as us 'invaders' terminated a lot of the global threats and criminal activities for many months. To assess that American commitment however, the domestic terrorists here will unknowingly act as 'chaotic exams' to the moral integrity that was forged in the land of 'human' liberty. Yet there's another reason to not interrupt this controversial 'trial by fire.'"

"And what would that be?" Nadelle questions, who was then given a pointed finger from the guerrilla's right hand at the female driver. It didn't take long to get the significance. "Me?! Then how am I responsible for turning a blind eye?!"

"Hey… didn't you just told me about Jayken's deep displeasure, and even your personal ire, to his 'tiger' mother?" The dumbfounded 'AI' reminded. "Remember?"

Without saying a word, the 'femme fatale' stood still like a statue as she recollects her memories and processes the message of the recent inquiry. In an instant, the woman realizes the moral scheme that her combat 'buddies' deliberately cooked up.

The synthetic combatant observed her shocked expression. "The clear look on your face tells me about the sudden revelation, that your 'unstable' wrath was a significant factor in our 'hands-off' approach at the present. Also in consideration is the potentially-high price of a major intelligence leak to the government agencies here… if you went all out berserk onto the Oriental senior and having lots of lawsuits related to that wild assault when you get caught. So poetically speaking, your internal outrage has unintentionally compromised many people living with better dignity than the bitching nurse that had consumed so much of your attention. In other words, the 'innocent' civilian casualties in this city, great or small, will represent your punishments for being too obsessed about one dysfunctional person only."

Incensed by the purpose of this plot, the feminine spy hastily activates her telepathic implants inside her head to initiate wireless discussions with her military 'commanders' on this ethical 'experiment.' However, her repeated calls for their change of hearts were all met with silence. Until her last attempt to persuade an ethical turn-around ended with a very high pitch noise transmitted thru the electrical pathway… and into her brain. "EEOW!" The affected beauty shrieks as an energy surge painfully disrupt her cybernetic capabilities, despite the nullifying effects being temporary. "Aagh…"

"Yeah… should have disclosed to you earlier that the 'vigilance study' was conceived in secrecy and without your consent. Along with how your preoccupying frustration with that scolding Asian has hindered your ability to detect our bloody plan… and given our 'friends' the window to deny your access to 'extraterrestrial' cyberspace communications."

"To think... that a maverick 'automaton' like you can tolerate a ridiculously, cruel exploitation of my personal life. All for the sake of testing a people's integrity… under the absolute coldness of logic!" Nadelle unhappily said, after she breathed out a number of times to get her bearings. Regardless, the cloaked guest didn't say a response for a while (which can be rather irksome to her). "Then how are these angry… 'Americans' supposed to be halted, as of late?"

The undercover 'renegade' correspondingly said, "The obvious solutions at this short notice are not available, I'm afraid. Neither from us professional 'vigilantes' or the legitimate authorities still unaware to do last-minute interventions. Likewise for you though, any action conducted by yourself in relation to the upcoming massacres will not be hampered with. Which could conveys anything from vacating out of the urban area… or allowing your hostile emotions against the disciplinary mother to turn very, very ugly. Considering that the rest of us, including myself, are leaving this city alone for it to bear the brutal attack. Comprende?"

The female driver simply groan and turn away her face as a reaction.

"... I'd take that as a reluctant confirmation, it seems. All things said relatively speaking, I should continue my withdrawal from this metropolis right about now; since the dialogue between us here is more or less complete. Therefore… I wish you luck on your choices for today, Nadelle." Soon afterwards, the 'rogue' guerrilla walks away from the orange automobile and along the street sidewalk that leads to the hospital (followed by the dino-raptor pack in the same direction). A street later, the cloaked operative and his lethal 'pets' disappear from view as they turn right at an intersection.

In the meantime, the female driver spend several more minutes to make up her mind on selecting her next option.

The 'computer' within the vehicle wondered, "Well then young lady, what type of action are you more inclined to do in these circumstances?"

After that period of difficult introspection, she startup the engine… and drive the automobile in the opposite direction of the hospital.

Several minutes later, the orange car reaches the terrorist haven (composed of four warehouses) that was nine blocks afar from the medical complex. Nevertheless, Nadelle parked the vehicle some yards to the right of the gate entrance leading to the secret hideaway. She exit the automobile, lock it, and about to start her walk… when the undercover agent unexpectedly hears a loud pop; followed by screeching noises on the asphalt-paved street. Instinctively, the woman redirect her head to the audible source and see a dark-blue, sport-utility vehicle having punctured holes in its two front air-tires.

Luckily for the driver and passengers, the roadside accident didn't end in a serious crash and a street lamp post is nearby. Still… the prognosis on the ruptured rubber is not pleasant for two men coming out of their front seats and analyzing the wheels. "Uh… Tyson, how does it look on your end?"

"Not good, Elliot. Did the other tire remain intact?"

"That's a no-no too, man. It's deflated enough to call in a tow truck and perhaps delay our interview meeting with the new recruits at this point. Any idea as to what our SUV ran into?"

"All I know is that some sharp junks had managed to ruin the front wheels. Now then, who's willing to make the phone call here for the towing service?"

"With all due respect Rios, this car is under your family's insurances. Along with Kinzie here being very busy with her cyberspace operations on the laptop. So… you do the honor."

"Hmm… alright, I'll do it for our professional sake."

Concurrently, Nadelle observes the unlucky scene from a rather, short distance and diagonally across the street (two vehicles facing each other on a two-way road). By the sounds being heard, she surprisingly recognizes the guys as Tyson Rios and Elliot Salem. How?

Well… during her altruism and secretive investigations as a 'social welfare' worker, the brown-colored lady made several interactions with a teenage son of Tyson (the youngest of three off-springs to the Rios nuclear family and diagnosed with a mild… psychological disorder at a very early age). From there, she evidently learned about the parents' 'official' careers, their friends that Nadelle gotten the chance to meet, and whereabouts on the older siblings. In comparison to the relentless mother of Jayken's family, the parental Rios are much more patient and understandable with their boy's limitations. Therefore, the female spy isn't too concerned with the male teenager.

Back to the present though, a thought suddenly form inside her psyche regarding the marooned Americans' expertise in 'debatable' fields of work. She then look back at the warehouse gate for several seconds before putting her sight onto the disabled SUV again. A short period of contemplation thereafter, the lady proceed to walk towards the stuck fellows. But since the morning is still before sunrise, the men didn't notice her... until she's a few feet away from the duo.

"Whoa!" Elliot surprisingly exclaimed as he automatically pulls out a pistol and point it at the unknown person appearing out of the dark. Fortunately, he has enough self-control to not fire and take a quick look at her face that he eventually recognize. Tyson also realize her identity, albeit quicker to analyze than his 'gung-ho' friend while on the phone. Nonetheless, he only wave at the woman when the situation immediately calms down while focusing on the call for a towing service. Salem commented, "Damn, girl. Didn't expect a nice lady like you to have a knack for scaring someone."

The 'Middle-Eastern' chuckled, "Heh, heh... my apologies, Mr. Salem. I find rather odd that you two are out here so early in the morning."

"It's actually three of us, Nadelle: me, Tyson, and Kinzie with her computer for god-knows how long she has been staring at."

"Miss Kensington, you say?"

"Yeah... can't have our technical specialist being too focused on Internet securities in her own office room forever. Therefore, we take every chance available for Kinzie to get involved into something other than just computers."

"Oh... is that the reason for being out here this early?"

"Not really, ma'am. It's more related to an interview with two new recruits for our private-owned company."

"New employees to work with?"

"Yep, goes by the code-signs Alpha and Bravo. Everything else concerning their backgrounds is as tightly classified to civilians outside of our employed circles as the famous Area 51. Although less dangerous than Groom Lake's penalties for trespassing violations. Anyhow, I have the same question about you being in this city at this hour. Any explanation for that?"

The face of the feminine onlooker turns relatively moody. "Hmm... well...let's just say that I need a larger breathing room to sort out the communication barriers between a man and his mother."

"Uh... I'm sorry, so what's going on with the... grown-up mama-boy?"

"Ugh... let me put this in another way then: an aging mom who cannot accept her adult boy being both jobless and very sentimental on old belongings for years after college graduation. On the other hand, a guy feeling angry with her year-round commands and self-serving behaviors that disregarded his psychological needs; while dealing with factors that are beyond their control. As for myself... it's getting sour outcomes, despite inputting a lot of efforts to help them acknowledge their limitations and fix their family relationships."

Elliot wasn't sure if that really makes any sense, despite the clearer comprehension. "Forgive me for saying this, but how did two such family members became badly dysfunctional? Not that it's part of my life to care much of families outside of my current relationships."

Nadelle stare at him for several seconds, before saying another question. "Well then... what can you say about your own parents, in contrast to the blood-related individuals that I just mentioned?"

It took a while for Salem to formulate an answer around his mother and father. "Here's what I can say about my mom and dad: both are long gone as of today, but in different conditions. My dad overdosed himself to death with both alcohols and opioids, when I was a second-grade kid. That unfortunately left my mom to work harder for both herself and me."

"Any... extended family to call for help?"

"Nope, just the two of us caring and supporting each other as much as possible in Louisiana. However, the income from my mom's job remained bad from my childhood to my teenage years. Not to mention the classes in elementary school being quite repetitive for my education and myself being at odds with rich kids and bullies in some instances."

"Do you respect your mother's desire to be a good boy, regardless of the substandard conditions?"

"Eh, eh... sure. I do appreciate her goodhearted nature. But with the growing dissatisfaction I had onto our poor livelihoods as a teenager, I frequently resorted to... alternative means to get more money."

"As a criminal you say?"

"Well... there were certain times where I was a master hustler, panhandler, spendthrift, gambler, and a um... possession confiscator."

"Or a thief in other words, right?"

Elliot sighed as his use of euphemism proven to be useless. "Yeah... every shady trade during my gang-banging days that Mommy doesn't approve at all, whenever she managed to find out."

"By the sound of it, she had every right to be mad and worried about your decisions."

"No kidding. I actually took a liking for risky operations with bigger rewards."

"Huh?"

"Uh... don't fret on that part. 'Cause at the end of being a street gangster, I got caught by the police for a big misdeed and then imprisoned within the Louisiana State Penal System for several weeks."

An eyeglass-wearing redhead (outside the car... while still holding a laptop on one arm) soon added, "Until the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections offered Mr. Salem an opportunity to serve the US Army, instead of being stuck with his former inmates for many decades of civil rehabilitation."

"Oh... look who decided to join in the conversation, with the same hand-held computer that might get in the way of talking to people or taking fitness classes."

"Keep in mind that it's also the same laptop that provided help during your 'business' trips to Steelport, Michigan with Tyson a few years ago; before I officially joined the T.W.O. enterprise."

"And after we unofficially came to your rescue and adopted you as an ally for intelligence gathering, respectively. By the way, is it the right time to have that portable device replaced?"

"Nah... too early still. One more year of waiting may allow a super-advanced laptop with the latest graphic cards and multi-core processors to be available at a reasonable price. In the meantime, I'd keep maintaining this tech for refining my technical skills and reviewing collected data from cyberspace. For example, you and Mister Rios were assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment of the United States Army after going through selective military courses. Your first combat mission is supporting a Delta Force team to eliminate an Al-Qaeda terrorist holding chemical stockpiles at a missile facility of Soviet M-11s; which was actually quite secretive during the retaliatory invasion of Afghanistan. Followed by dozens more of counterinsurgency operations and military assaults in both Afghanistan and Iraq for over 14 years prior to being honorably discharged."

"You know, Kinzie... how about keeping that missile shutdown classified from the public for a few more decades. Please?"

"Actually, several of your achievements in the army are not meant to be revealed yet. Unless you two really want the enemies to attempt their vengeance on us and family members, of course."

"Well... I rather keep them hidden for a long time. Besides, I really don't have any relatives that I know of... aside from Alice being a very good friend to me."

The 'Egyptian' guest intervenes the distraction after listening to the summarized intel, "Ahem! Did we somehow changed the topic or what?"

Elliot then realizes the subject that was temporarily put aside. "Oh, sorry about that. Anywho, I'd gotten to my mom's home in two weeks after my honorary release from the army. Once there, we chatted about my time in the Ranger Regiment and her time being alone or with friends. Long story short, my mother was quite glad that I'm still alive from the military service... apart from her worries with the acts of killing in the name of America."

Kensington meddled in, "I'd bet that such uneasiness would intensify if she learns about your current profession after army retirement."

"Jeez... that's not something to bring up to your only loving parent at the time. Reckon it's a rather good thing that my mom didn't discover my present-day job when she passed away from cancer some months later. Even so, I sometimes miss her lovable presence."

"And perhaps wondering if your good mom would enjoy company with your upcoming kids," stated the professional Chicano who recently wrapped up the call for the towing service.

"Eh, eh... I bet she would, Tyson. Now then, what's the ETA on the towing truck?"

"Around 45 minutes, give or take."

"Damn... probably should have gotten those airless tires sooner."

"Just be glad for not being stuck in a war-zone at present, Elliot."

The redhead technician evoked, "And let's hope that a similar conflict like those in both Stilwater and Steelport doesn't erupt onto this city at anytime. Considering that my former employers are still looking for a hostile paramilitary unit that evaded their undercover surveillance for over a month."

"Which group are you implying, exactly?"

"The type being very obsessed with... 'white power' and absolute conformity for America. Particularly on a faction formed by supremacists that survived the messy quagmires in the Twin Atlantis of the Great Lakes."

"Ugh... no need for additional reminders about those bastards."

Salem concurred, "Yeah... like how much their fucked-up satisfactions in cruelty were too similar to those from the 'Allah-following' counterparts, whom the racists fought many times back in Steelport to get rid of them. I mean sure, Tyson and I had killed a lot of people in the military sector. But um..."

"Elliot, those murderous shitheads that attacked Stilwater and Steelport had no regards to unarmed civilians... not even women and children were spared."

"As well as enforcing bans on very good rap songs that I really liked! Which made themselves no fucking different than the enemies we shot at as army rangers. Right, Kinzie?"

Ms. Kensington replied, "...Indeed so, ironically enough. Assuming that we excluding sincere members from the 'True Patriots' resistance and saying profanity in front of our visitor here is considered acceptable."

The two men look at the redhead in a pause, before the guys change their focus onto the dark-skinned guest. "Don't worry, sirs. I already had experiences with hearing foul languages from both a number of clients having... unstable minds and several strangers with xenophobia towards different individuals like me."

The rather disconcerted Salem noted, "Uh... to be frank, you might want to move away from those messed-up people while you still can." He quickly received a slightly upset expression from Nadelle. "Oh... my bad. That said, staying too long for bad examples to become much worse may greatly put your own life at risk."

"Hmm... perhaps it does ring true when concerning about self-preservation. Even so, shirking away from benevolent duties could also sounded like acts of shame and heartlessness. Especially for those special-needed clienteles that I have intermingled with for several months now."

"...man, aren't you being such a committed girl scout."

"You got a problem with efforts to do kinder things, Elliot?"

"Ehh... not really. Being very friendly to people with inner issues might seem noble on paper. But here on this imperfect place called reality, well..."

Tyson intervened, "Let's just say that there are many unpredictable factors that can make your nice idea almost impossible to be compatible with everyone's satisfactions. Considering how my partner had lost fifteen grands of cash in gambling for the winner of last week's football game."

"Hey... it happens from time to time. Though I could scratch my head all day on how your youngest son ended up an Aspie, Tyse."

"Don't dwell on it so often, Elliot. According to the scientists on the autism spectrum, his limitations were more likely due to a combination of several influences such as random mutations on neuron formations, chemical disruptions from the external environment, and other things affecting his childhood. Besides, he's under my responsibility and part of my family right now. Understood?"

"Yeah, I know. Just one of many signs to watch out for, whenever parental duties arrive in my time."

Kinzie soon mentioned, "In relation to counterexamples on paragons while we're at it, I could add in the idealistic theories of economic growth across the last few centuries that ignorantly dismiss the powerful persistence of human irrationality. Thus, allowing illogical decisions that lead to many financial crises like the Great Depression of the 1930s and the recession of 2007 to be made unhindered."

"Uh... Kinzie, were you developing some sympathies with the Oleg guy for some time; who hardly stop criticizing the nature of capitalism?"

"I'm actually very, very fond of his strength and intellect in all honesty. Additionally, his criticism is quite valid about the dangers of capitalistic mistakes. Still, the drawbacks of communism as demonstrated back in the Soviet Union period should not be ignored... although the Russian's sentimental feelings on the dissolution of the USSR are understandable; when taking into account the troubles that befallen on Russia since the communist downfall."

The left-out 'Egyptian' then said, "Ahem! Excuse my interruption on cases of historic flaws, but what's the takeaway that I'm supposed to hear?"

A quick moment of pause later, the computer-skilled redhead gives a conclusion. "Well... I think the main lessons here were that nobody's perfect, everyone will make a mistake at some point, and a big emphasis on learning better ways to manage our disadvantages and miscalculations for a better future. Is that satisfactory for you to take in heart, Nadelle?"

"That's... something to significantly ponder about. Assuming that you already had my contact information thru phone and email, right?"

"Uh... honestly, I'm not certain that I have confirmed your profile among other... 'Nadelles.' So let me take a search on the large collection of digital accounts retrieved from cyberspace, if you won't mind."

"As a matter of fact, I intend to give you my personal addresses today." The brown-colored visitor said while taking out a 'smartphone' from her pant pocket and reopening it.

"Oh... okay, that's a bit surprising for you to do. On the same subject however, are you really certain with this generosity that could potentially put your privacy at risk of cyber-crimes?"

"I'm absolutely positive, Miss Kensington."

"Well... all right, it's your decision then."

Once settled, the olive-skinned woman access her private information for public display and show it to the curious technician who soon type the digital material inside the laptop. When the task is done, Nadelle's next request is for Kinzie to dial the personal signatures for verification. The eyeglass-wearing redhead agrees to answer in an easygoing manner and the deed resulted in a few ringtones from the 'Middle Easterner's device.

The tech specialist commented, "So... I got at least something about you, Nadelle. Though your phone number looked rather... extended beyond the usual cellphone addresses that many people were accustomed to."

"Not a big deal for now. Just glad that I got another person for helpful suggestions in my spare time. All being said, I'd wish you three on getting this car here fixed and a better day onwards."

Rios replied, "That also goes the same way for you, Nadelle. Yet be careful being out here at this particular period of the day."

"I'm aware, sir. Farewell." After waving her hand, the brown-skinned lady stroll towards her parked vehicle.

At the disabled SUV meanwhile, the crew resume their wait for the tow truck. With an understanding of the timescale, Elliot start to make call on a familiar contact. Seconds later, a female voice answered. "Yes, Salem?"

"Hey there, Alice. Tyson, Kinzie, and I just had a problem with the SUV that we're using."

"Engine failures?"

"Nah... it's two front tires deflated by some unknown sharp objects on the road. So we called in the towing service to bring the car to a repair shop for the unexpected damages."

"How long would that take, hon?"

"From what Tyse heard from his phone call, probably around 40 minutes or less as of this moment. Which means that we'd be late for the morning meeting with those recruits."

"Hmm... I could attempt a retrieval to pick up you guys; or have Washington do it. But I don't think our vehicles at the interview site have enough room for your equipment to be transferred. Nevertheless, I'll update Pierce on the situation. We'll come back to you three when alternative methods are available. Later, honey."

"Sure thing, sweetheart."

When the wireless conversation ended, a different transmission arrives through both Kinzie's portable computer and smartphone. The visual screens shows the name, phone number, and email address of Nadelle.

"Well, that's weird for her to call me sooner than expected. Along with both of my devices being notified simultaneously." Regardless, Kensington answered the buzz as she sit on the back seat. "Hello again, Nadelle. I had an expectation of you phoning me at least by tomorrow or several weeks ahead. Any reason for this earlier contact, miss?"

"Yes I have, Kinzie. I must have forgotten about one clever trick for you to see on your laptop. But it's gonna take a minute for me to upload something on your electronic screen, as well as the necessity for this connection to not be hanged up. So please be patient for this unique stunt to appear... and forgive my intrusion that came quick after our last conversation."

"Huh... perhaps I could accept your forgiveness, depending on how this feat of yours would turn out. Okay?"

"It's a deal, then."

One minute of waiting forward, the technician receives an image of a parked car in orange color and under the cover of darkness. That's doesn't seem to be interesting... until Kinzie sees the human arms and a familiar gadget being held by one right hand (highlighted in augmented display of glowing light). The smartphone currently reflects the image of the same olive-skinned, feminine face Kensington met several minutes prior. Stranger still is how the ongoing 'video' is fixed at the same place as a person's eyes. In an instance, the view moves toward the side door of the car and one arm opens the automotive barrier; while the other limb puts the mobile gadget and a car fob inside the pouch behind the driver seat. After the door is closed, the projected vision then arranged itself to have a sport-utility vehicle in sight. From there, the augmented reality soon identifies two men and a red-haired woman with... Hey, wait. Isn't that Kinzie herself on the screen, in addition to Tyson Rios and Elliot Salem being recognized in real time? Dumbfounded for a while, the computer specialist then put aside the laptop on the seat and goes out of the car to visually locate the source. With some help from the urban street lamps (and luminescence from an odd pair of glowing green eyes), she uncovers Nadelle's silhouette next to the orange car at a diagonal distance on the same road. Immediately though, the 'Middle-Eastern' individual walk away from her automobile and heads towards the gate entrance leading to a warehouse complex of four.

Elliot noticed the redhead being outside. "Hey Kinzie, what has had gotten you out of the car all of a sudden?"

"It's... complicated."

"Uh... wait, seriously? You're like one of the smartest people living on this world, and now there something out there that defies your savvy capabilities?"

"Alright Mister Salem, alright. It's about our recent visitor that just notified me with regards to her... bizarre trick of communication."

"I... fail to see the meaning of 'bizarre' that relates to phone calls and emails."

"Actually, it's more of a concern on observing live-feedback of what Nadelle is seeing at this instance; through my laptop no less."

"Like an actual use of a camcorder right now?"

"I don't really know. But let me get back to my portable computer for the live footage unfolding today." In a punctual manner, Kensington moves inside the motor vehicle again and monitor the 'first-person' feed from the female outsider.

At the moment, the ongoing 'video' shows Nadelle's hands using an improvised tool for lock picking the gate latch. Almost a minute afterwards, the metal barrier is unlocked. The lady opens the entryway and proceeds towards one of the warehouses.

"Whoa... didn't think of her being a good lock picker," Elliot commented.

Kinzie noted, "Definitely unexpected, sir. Still, I'm not sure about her reasons to trespass such a quiet place."

When the olive-skinned intruder arrives at a door, she does her lock picking again on the key lock. Once more, the attempt is successful and the entrance object is calmly open wide. Regardless, the inside is relatively pitch black in the early morning; leading the woman to look for a light switch by the use of her eyes in a 'sci-fi' capacity. Indirectly though, the scanning lights in augmented vision detects the outlines of large trucks, medium-sized cars, people (Caucasian men in this case) sleeping on the floor or chairs... and weapons of military nature such as assault rifles, grenades, and rocket launchers all across the supposedly empty space. Despite the potential dangers, the female trespasser carefully search for the mechanism connected to the artificial illuminations.

Kinda think about it, that effort sounded more suicidal in context to the possible threats that both Elliot and Kinzie surveilled. Evidently, Nadelle reaches the switch and flip it on. The indoor lights rudely awoken the occupants from their slumber.

One of the groggy militants complained, "Agh... who the hell fucked-up my beauty sleep?" It doesn't take long for most of them to spot the only individual not part of the 'white' mob.

"The fuck... how did an Indian chick get here?"

A paramilitary lieutenant said, "Brothers, I'm more annoyed on why any of you aren't snatching the bitch yet! Do not let her escape!"

Soon, the hostile men retrieve and aim their firearms at the unarmed intruder. "Don't you ever think of moving away from here, wench!"

On the contrary, the brown-colored lady with a firm expression made an extraordinary reply. "Quite fortunately for you blokes to know that my own protection is not a priority."

Jesus... isn't that rather confusing for the aggressive crowd; as well as for Kensington and Salem taking in the developing scene from the live 'footage.'

A radicalized Caucasian noted, "What kind of shitty show off was that suppose to be?"

A senior hardliner commanded, "Hey, what's the hold up with you guys? Bind her now!"

That harsh command or the enclosing militants doesn't seem to change Nadelle's strange boldness towards these 'Americans.' Once in close proximity though, a couple of those blokes grab her hands and trap them together behind the 'Indian' woman's back. At the same time, one irregular in front of her got within reach and soon uses his rifle-stock to hit the lady's forehead towards unconsciousness. To the human males' surprise however, her eyes still show signs of alertness and defiance after that hard-hitting strike at the intruder's head. Consequently... the offender repeats the violent beating a number of times before she was 'finally' ascertained to be knocked out.

"Shit... how in God's name did this girlie fool had a tough noggin like that?"

"Why should I care about one sneaky outsider, right now? All she ever did was to doom herself in our wrath for American justice. And besides, let's see if her racial idiocy can stand against our leading enforcer of white purity."

"Quit your bitching and lock her up for our commander's interrogations, brothers!"

Instantly, the confident supremacists drags the woman to an empty room within the warehouse building... while having no knowledge that their controversial remarks had been heard by the two crew-members of the damaged SUV outside (thru the active ears of the captured interloper).

"Okay... I'm now officially confused on how much of what I saw were part of her 'actual' talents," says the red-haired tech specialist.

Elliot comments, "Uh, same here... I guess. Perhaps it's some sorta movie or TV show being under a production phase."

"You're sure about that assumption? 'Cause those aggregates of madmen were quite similar to the supremacist faction that escaped the eyes of the FBI."

"Listen... I'm only a private military contractor, not a goddamn white knight in shiny armor for everyone. And I don't want to feel so wasted in earning little to no payment to received, despite the hard work being involved. So if this bad commotion turns out to be very real, boy... would that be nauseating to have Tyson back being the eminent boy scout and conspiracy theorist on duty."

A male voice with a familiar authority spoke, "Since when does conspiracy theories took over my professionalism?"

Salem turns around and see Rios paying attention to the present conversations. "Oh, hey Tyson. Uh... have you got any updates on that tow truck driver or what?"

"Nothing yet, unfortunately. In the meantime though, what in Christ's name did you two looked up this instance?"

"Well... I don't think this stuff we uncovered is not significant enough to pay a visit, Tyse. I mean, it could be like a production set for making some unknown movies or internet shows under development."

The Chicano man then look at Kinzie for her perspective. "Is that something to agree from your view, Kinzie?"

"At this time, I don't have enough evidence to determine an answer. Regardless, I am proceeding to get more data on how genuine the hazards are to our recent social worker; who is now captured inside the nearby warehouse complex."

"Do as necessary, ma'am. But don't go overboard with your hacking abilities, which could lead to unwanted infection for the laptop at hand."

"I'll keep that in mind, sir. Anyway, is it appropriate to utilize those miniature recon drones in the trunk?"

"Hmm... for the sake of surveillance from a safe distance? Yes, you're clear to activate them."

Elliot interjects, "Seriously, Tyson? Can't you change your mind over the damsel-saving shitshow?"

"Let's be clear, the last thing we want is being caught in the middle of an insidious warzone. Like on what had conspired back in Steelport."

"Yeah... although there was a job to protect a French VIP back then."

"Don't you mean a Belgian arms dealer in charge of a multinational crime syndicate? With both of us being used as leverages against my wife's investigations on them?"

"Dude, chill out. It wouldn't be wise to pick a fight with someone that we can't possibly win, grudges or otherwise."

"Hey, since when did you suddenly express risk-aversive habits towards moral dilemmas? Are they due to my disciplinary supervision sinking in while at work... or the consequences of Shepherd's private armies trying to kill us for stumbling upon his dirty handiwork that led to the extreme violence inside the island city?"

"How about 'all of the above' for an answer, Tyson? And that included the Makarov maniac and his ultra-nationalistic bastards with military hardware; along with that Matt kid and his teenage gang of Gothic hackers?"

"For Christ's sake, should you ha-" Suddenly, Rios gets a phone call from Alice Murray and responds like so. "Yes, Alice?"

Half an hour later inside a darken, warehouse room...

A dimly light bulb from the ceiling shine its fainted brightness onto a rope-binded Nadelle at one corner of the interior space. Her hands are tied behind her back, along with her restrained feet. There are no furniture to sit on as she was laid sideways on the floor. The single source of illumination occasionally flickers to brief moments of darkness, while the woman breathes in and out rather heavily. Without warning, a door opens outward and reveals a silhouette of a man. The rest of the light switches are then turned on to expose the serious bruises that she received from the captors' beatings. The shadowy veil covering the figure gave way to a Caucasian male of cold demeanor in paramilitary outfit. He walks in the direction of her position and soon grabs her neck to make Nadelle stand upright, while a few subordinates follow inside and commandeer a metal chair for the captive to sit on. Once the unfolded furniture is set up, the female trespasser immediately gets moved to the seat by force.

With everything all set, the militant leader commence his interrogations on this intrusive broad. "Alright you brown vermin, we got questions regarding your dumb-ass actions today and you're going to answer them. Got it?"

"Which curiosity do you want me to answ-?" Instantly, the binded woman receives a punch to her cheek from the interrogator.

"Yes or no?!"

"...Yes," Nadelle replied with a sense of defiance.

"Well... quite a fucking brave face you put on there, bitch. I doubt that veneer wouldn't last long under our style of grilling."

"When?" In turn, she was given a hard slap to the face.

"Do not interrupt me as I talk, Indian swine! But since you ask about it, we'll start with the first question: what has led you to this hideout of ours and how?"

"Keh... considering the supposed secrecy of your terrorist attacks, my knowle-" Again, the paramilitary commander's fist jab at her head.

"Us... terrorists?! Like those Muslim shitheads shouting with their evil, sharia laws to displace our God-given liberty in America?! Comparing us patriots to the subversive street gangsters and their repeated behaviors of cruel theft and brutal violence?! Or were you possibly thinking of us being put in the same place as those homeless parasites and unwanted immigrants who had left a disguising stain to our American Dream?! If that was the idea, then too bad for not seeing such kinds of fictitious images. 'Cause you're looking at the true Americans of this God-blessed land for our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness; ever since the founding of our greatest country in the entire world! Not the damn Negroes, Hispanic bloodsuckers, Jewish rats, Oriental smart-asses, Arab fuckers, degenerate hippies, abominable mix-breeds, guiltless homosexuals, crippled retards, and every other foreign reprobate that kept demanding their so-called civil rights... at the expense of our livelihoods! As a chosen people of this revered nation, we must not allow such perversions to subjugate us in godless darkness! And that includes you... trespassing Nigger. Now then, tell us where did you found out about our whereabouts in this condemned city?"

Despite her angry disgust inside herself, the trapped 'femme fatale' incognito gives an answer. "An independent vigilante told me a lot on your planned 'solutions' for your ideal 'paradise' in America."

"It's more about reclaiming the glory that was cast aside by the revolting waves of colored immigrants and ex-slaves and their demands for more 'equality,' bitch. So what kind of shitty guy is this vigilante you speak of?"

"An individual who've kept an ever, watchful eye on your twisted dedications for 'white' power."

"Is that a joke, dolly? When did the bastard start spying on us patriots?"

"After an FBI agent was discovered among your men, sir."

"Oh... that traitor planted in our mist back then. Ha... could have been divine fate for my soldiers to discover his treacherous use of spy equipment from the overreaching and tainted forces of the federal government, before sending him to Hell. And we might give a big wake-up call to your unscrupulous friend for snooping on the wrong people to mess with. That being said, our righteous might can't reach him if his current location remains unknown to us. Which leads to perhaps you to outright release that information, witch. Can you, Missy?"

"Hmph... it can be disappointing to realize that your espionage target is outside of this metropolis to rendezvous with his other pals."

"Where... exactly?"

"That's the problem, my broken relationships with my covert associates has closed that opportunity to disclose their latest movement onto your knowledge."

"Wait, seriously? A fucking fallout with your sneaky buddies? On what?"

"...Everything."

"Eh... what do you mean by 'everything'?"

"The entirety on Planet Earth that all of Humanity took for granted. The lands... oceans... the atmosphere... plant life... animal diversity... the sciences... technologies... distinct cultures... universal kindness... and other significant marvels of this world, now endangered to be gone forever by unhampered greed and arrogance from the human species itself."

"Itself? Don't you mean the inferior races already guilty of filling our world with unspeakable misery?"

"Really? You guys still attach yourselves with that ugly categorization of determining which human beings to be deprived of civil liberties? Even with all the biological evidences at your faces confirming the powerful commonalities in all of humankind that transcends trivial differences of color, wealth, faith, mentali-" Instantly, a solid fist strikes onto the 'Egyptian' gal's gut; follow by coughing and gasping.

"How dare you to say such outrageous lies on civil liberties! Are we to show God's love and compassion onto neighbors that inherently turned into dishonorable criminals and bloodthirsty savages?! Like those parasites that transformed Stilwater and Steelport into the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Great Lakes, before we tried to cleanse the two cities? Our answer: Hell no! The rightful citizens of our proud republic will not degrade themselves to the same levels as those wretches who continue to define themselves as 'men'! And the same for rebellious broads like you that should have stay in their places as moms and maids in the house, instead of challenging so much with the opposite sex in terms of jobs! Agh... so what else belonging to our manhood would you like to oppose next?"

The mistreated captive says an unexpected word within seconds. "Robots."

The light-skinned supremacists feel perplexed with that label for 'thinking' machines in science fictions and/or real-life. The interrogator resumed, "I... don't understand how robots are linked to the white man's characters."

"Correction: it actually describes the mechanical nature of my disconnected allies that I previously mentioned."

The dumbstruck torturer glares at her. "Are you just messing us around with your made-up stories, bitch?"

"Well... you decide on the answers for the claim that my pals are using military arsenals to judge the moral worthiness within many nations, cities, corporations, people, and even the individuals themselves."

The leader suspiciously asked, "Tell me this then... what kinds of weapons do your judgemental gang have, as of today?"

"Huh... right now, I do remember about my military friends being armed with many rifles... machine guns... guided missiles... armored trucks... battle tanks... self-propelled artillery... attack helicopters... fighter aircra-"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey! Are you being real here? 'Cause I thought your buddies are only vigilantes, not a goddamn army per say."

"In a way, they are vigilantes... with the expertise to conduct both conventional and asymmetric styles of warfare on a very, very large scale."

"Uh... how large?"

"Twelve million combatants and counting."

The inner room is being rather quiet to date; with the ethnocentric lads finding an unbelievable information again. "You must be so retarded to masquerade such nerdy tales as facts, dumb-ass."

"Go ahead on what you want to conclude about this military force, fellas. Besides, I had enough with tolerating the constant usage of drastic measures for the entire human species."

"Drastic measures? Like what?"

"Sabotages on heavily neglected infrastructures and widespread assassinations against those who had made very severe violations on the biosphere and their own people, regardless of which nationality, religion, color, income, and other differences that the offenders came from. And they included selfish bigots like you!" In short order, her face gets punched again.

"Bitch all you want about justice, hypocrite. From what I heard by now, your terrorist buddies sounded no different than the Islamic snakes with their evil caliphates for themselves. Or even the pathetic communists whining about the loss of their oppressive Soviet Union. Then why did you came here, if your allegedly disdain for murder is that much great?"

"Diplomatic possibility of convincing you guys to halt your madness onto the innocents of this city in their places of spiritual, medical, and psychological healing. Similar to the principles preached by Jesus of Nazareth."

After a pause on the statement, the men soon laugh repeatedly at the 'naive' reply. "Ah, ha, ha, ha... you? Following the path of our mighty Lord at a time like this?! Well... you must be so stupid to think that your brown face is worthy of Christ's grace."

Nadelle countered, "Relatively speaking, it might be strange to see Jesus again... although it may also be very atrocious in seeing him tortured once more."

"Tortured... by whom then? Your fellow vigilantes, Muslim mobs, or even the unfaithful atheists?"

"Here's a hint: look at my colored skin from the Middle East. If you white believers actually saw the 'Lord' appear like a dark-skinned Jew or Arab, you'll instinctively react as madden devils tearing him apart!" This time, a strong kick to the chair happens (causing the woman to fall on the floor).

"Errr... Can't believe how stubborn you are to insult our beliefs and way of life, infidel. But now that you mentioned it, your despicable face does look comparable to those women wearing their sharia-bound headwear. So why isn't such a doll from the fucking desert wearing that suppressive symbol today?"

"Yeah... I could've wore a hijab or similar head covering at anytime, except for my personal assessment on Providence telling me otherwise."

"Oh really? Any idea on what the Almighty One spoke to you about, sinner?"

"Uh, I didn't actually made a statement of 'God' or the martyred prophet spoken to me."

"What were you talking about then?"

"The defining ethics across all spectrum of Christianity: Care for the poor and unfortunates, love thy neighbor and enemy, turn the other cheek, and other brave acts of human virtues. Yet it's also a great shame that centuries of persecutions, massacres, and exploitation had occurred under Christ's name. Wrongs like the killings inside Jerusalem during the First Crusade in Palestine, the fervent hostilities by the Inquisitions, and indigenous enslavement under the colonial empires that you men seemed too comfortable to ignore... or even repeat."

The interrogator hand-signal his paramilitary grunts to have the chair upright from the ground, albeit in a rough manner. After that, he slap her cheek again with one of his hand. "Do we really looked as if the bygone chaos of prior societies are worth the damn for our present anxieties, bitch? Well, do ya?! From our point of view, those savages in the past deserved their punishments for rejecting God's everlasting mercy and grace. Furthermore, the pedigrees of such lesser races were then and always be unfit in the almighty eyes of the one and only God and his chosen people."

"Only a 'God' of intelligence, possibilities, and responsibilities... as far as I can see."

"...What did you say just now?"

"My interpretation saying that the spoken entity of Christ is more associated with dialogues, choices, and critical thinking; powerful abilities dwelling inside the human mind for either good or ill. That's all it can do."

"...That's all... is that what you think about our omnipotent Lord, heretic? Then how to explain the creation of the universe, Earth, life, and us mankind without our Supreme Creator as you proposed?!"

"Which explanations to hear? The scientific expositions or theologi- AAAHH!" One of her feet has been stomped by the torturer's boot.

"Not... the theories from the faithless science. Like Charles Darwin's ideas of evolution by natural selection or the so-called African origin for Adam and Eve." He then move his foot away from Nadelle's foot.

"Agh... Alright... definitely on the two gods it is."

"Two?"

"Yes. One deity involves the formidable instincts and tenacity within every lifeforms, including the adaptable microbes, that drove them to be alive for billions of years."

"And the other is your corrupt depiction of our preeminent Savior, is that right?"

"...No, the third god influences the entire cosmos and movement of time itself. Which makes three in total."

"...Can you say that number again?"

"Ugh... I repeat: a trinity of influential forces that resides inside all human beings and probably everything else for 'god-knows' how long."

"...Is that like the Holy Trinity of our religion?"

"It's closer to a philosophical derivative on the symbolism of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

"Or a perversion of our sacred beliefs!"

"Hey, this is only my own understanding on the 'Divinity' of wisdom and compassion. Not the image of your 'God' as a jealous and stringent entity that ironically amplified your style of discrimination, selfish demands for absolute control, and stubborn illusions on how the real wor-" Another hard punch to her chest by the questioning extremist.

"Cease your blasphemous garbage, hag! Your attempted transgressions to reshape God's pure essence for your own, self-centered desires have condemned the very soul inside you to Hell! You really think that peace discussions will work on us today? After overhearing all the tainted nonsense about the Almighty and our people that came out of your unruly mouth?"

The 'Middle Eastern' damsel grumbles, "...I still think so if you ask me; notwithstanding the back-and-forth bashing related to subjective and objective truths."

The militant leader and his mooks irritably glare at her. "You are so unbelievable, stubborn hypocrite. If you want a pacifist resolution that bad, then how would you recommend in evicting the unwanted apes from our lands?"

"Apes? Like the endangered gorillas in the African rain-forests or the numerous humans of many shades of color and mind that always include you descendants of European oppressors?"

In anger once more, the interrogator takes out a pistol and points its gun-barrel towards her face... at point-blank range. "Do not compare us freed people to the old kings and tyrants of the Old World; who had left nothing but continuous agony for the common folks trying to make a living without any kind of liberty. Now then, answer the question of expelling the undesirables."

The female captive has an incompatible reply in the making for that dishonorable statement... when gunfire is heard suddenly. Everyone in the room notice the sounds of fired bullets.

After some time of confusion, an alert militant barges in to tell his boss. "Boss, we got a situation!"

Outside meanwhile, two fully armored individuals move past one of the main gates leading to the warehouse complex; as they shoot up the armed but vulnerable extremists with their assault rifles (one is the ASKR-1 with a built-in under-slung shotgun and held by a heavily protected combatant wearing a grayish ballistic mask that is named "Grim Reminder." The other intruder that wears a flame-style mask named "Custom Ink" is currently using a Robinson XCR-L.) Both weapons are in semi-auto mode and unleashing 7.62mm bullets towards their speechless targets. As a response in kind, the hostile militants fire back at the trespassing duo with their own guns. Fortunately for the armored pair, their bullet-resistant outfits are able to shrug off the enemy projectiles.

Still... a certain question in mind:

How did this shootout happened?

Well... a recognizable voice from the gray mask wearer has something to complain. "Jesus, Elliot. Couldn't you rein in your trigger happy antics longer, as part of the plan?"

"Why me taking the blame, Tyson? The guarding asshole went batshit when he unexpectedly remember our masks back at our time in Steelport as 'unpatriotic' mercenaries. Besides... our main objectives are to rescue the lady friend and keep ourselves alive, which Alice clearly emphasized a lot."

"Yes, I know! But I was hoping that there still a chance of us extracting our HVT without much bloodshed, despite the heavy gears."

"Well... here we are! Killing plenty of violent maniacs that wanted to burn down this town, while on the way to pick up the damsel-in-distress. Although, that gal doesn't seem to be quite as normal as her nice appearance led us to believed."

"That depends on her head staying in one piece for us to converse with... along with the potential destruction that we can minimize for this city's sake!"

"Sure, partner. Save the mysterious chick, save the city of San Andriaz, and perhaps an appropriate payment to compensate for getting into this mess we're now in."

"Elliot, please keep your eyes on the opposition shooting at us."

With the transparency that the white-obsessed paramilitary are getting annihilated so easily, the bad guys decided to bring out anti-material rifles and 0.50cal machine guns for dealing with these tough intruders effectively.

Through the use of drones however, Kinzie identified the incoming threats upon her co-workers and highlighted the opponents to the duo's HUDs. "Rios! Salem! Heavy machine guns and snipers coming out of the warehouses!"

Tyson acknowledged, "Copy that, Kinzie! Elliot, start running and follow me!"

"Got it, Tyse! Taking cover and heading for the warehouse pronto!"

Together, the armored men made haste towards the large building that houses the olive-skinned captive... while avoiding the heavier bullets from the anti-material rifles and machine guns. On the other main gate though, two more mask-wearing trespassers then pulled the triggers of their suppressed Heavy Counter Assault Rifles (HCARs) to neutralize the unsuspected heavy gunners in the back. Several losses later, the pissed-off militants turn their attentions upon the unwelcome newcomers and soon unleash lead at the two. The masked combatants take cover behind their shield barriers made of armored plates and bulletproof fabrics, which were deployed from their compacted state like origami. The under-fired pair quickly switch for belt-fed M4s to shoot back at the hostiles.

"Heh, it's rather generous for our new employers to lend us these tough umbrellas." The fighter with the yellow mask commented.

"I'll say. But we still had be alert with these bulletproof prototypes," said the black-mask wearing partner. "Even if the shield can withstand a 50 caliber bullet at this point." As proof, a BMG round recently made a small dent on a diagonal panel of the origami-style protection. "Though I do wonder where our bosses got such material. Washington, status?"

"Firing grenades... now!" At a 'safer' position, an armored individual wearing a purple fleur-de-lis ballistic mask shoot a 40mm grenade from the hand-held GL6 grenade launcher at an angle. The destructive ammo arches towards its target, specifically the heavy machine gun on a modified pickup truck. By luck, the grenade made a direct blast at the terrorist using the 0.50 cal weapon... on the head. "Ha! Do you like that, prejudiced murderers?" He then launches the next small bomb at a group of hostile xenophobes. "I got more coming, assholes! And they're all for my dead boss and homies back in Stilwater!"

In the meantime, Tyson and Elliot finally arrived at a door of the intended warehouse. With Salem holding a flash-bang grenade in his right hand, Rios aims at the doorknob and then fire his attached shotgun to blasts it away. Immediately, the flame mask wearer slightly opens the damaged barrier and throws the device inside. Seconds later, the grenade explodes to disorient the armed bigots in its radius. The duo quickly come thru and end the lives of the affected adversaries. Of course... there still plenty of the ethnocentric fighters willing to unleash bullets at the protected interlopers now inside the space indoors (with several wood boxes and steel-made obstructions dotted across the wide area to serve as temporary cover for both sides). Some of those angry fanatics use either Browning M2s or Barret M82s, which gives the two more delays in completing their objectives. During that situation, the two intruders witness Nadelle being forcefully moved towards a semi-trailer truck... with a gun behind her skull by a commanding militant who improvised the captive as a human shield. Using tactics of teamwork and misdirection, Tyson and Elliot gradually stop the heavy hitters dead and clear up the racist stragglers. Nevertheless, the supremacist team carrying the hostage had just got the automotive engine working and soon leave the building on board the vehicle.

The red-haired technician sees the escaping semi and a number of modified pickup trucks escorting it to other side of the unguarded main gate. "Uh, guys... our captured friend is now being taken away through the streets!"

The grey masked contractor said, "We know, Miss Kensington! We're on our way to chase her kidnappers fast!"

In short notice however, more militants enter the large inner space of the warehouse to stop the armored pair as much as the mob can do.

The flame masked shooter comments while firing back, "Yeah... finding a viable car for the chase may take some time in the middle of a firefight right now. Even so, you are keeping tracks of the olive damsel in real-time. Am I correct, Kinzie?"

The redhead sarcastically replied, "Of course you are, smarty pants. Nadelle's signature is quite detectable throughout both the city's surveillance systems and orbiting recon satellites from above, even if her eyes get blinded on purpose."

"Oh... that's good to hear. Although there still the risk of getting a prosecution order due to today's usage of your hacking skills on civil, gover-"

"Relax, Salem! My encryption programs are sufficient enough to obscure my unauthorized cyberspace abilities for a long time. During that period though, I'll maintain my watch on the apprehended 'social worker' and you guys who are still at the wareho-... what the...?"

Rios then expressed a concern on the abrupt sentence. "Uh, Kinzie... was there something out of place in your obser-?"

A very, loud explosion was suddenly heard and it violently appears at one of the ongoing semi-trailer trucks that irrevocably halt the vehicle in between the insecure main gate. The belligerents on the ground are bewildered at the unanticipated occurrence... before they heard multiple pew-pew sounds in very rapid sessions.

The last things to witness for many extremists; prior to having their flesh and bones being full of burnt holes or torn apart by projectiles of light... or plasma energy in this case.

Aside from seeing the bloody devastation upon the domestic terrorists, the outdoor gunmen of Tactical Worldwide Operation (T.W.O. for short) also observe the four airborne rotor-crafts responsible for the latest bloodbath. In the eyes of the operatives, the outside party-crashers resembled stealth helicopters of the U.S. Army's cancelled Comanche program. In another perspective, the attack choppers were designated as AH-67 Mohawks - along with being AI-controlled (two armed with 4 missile racks and a triple plasma nose-cannon; the other half fitted with two triple-barreled particle beam turrets underneath both unfolded wings and a nose-mounted grenade launcher). When the barrage stop, plenty of the volatile racists are deceased and mutilated... regardless of being inside or outside the warehouses. Weirdly enough, the invading agents were left standing and breathing without any damage from the attacking vehicles... as if the personnel from T.W.O. are not the targets.

"Well, I'll be damned..." The yellow-masked combatant observed, "that is one hell of a..."

Suddenly, a battered technical drove out from one of the warehouse and goes immediately towards the main gate guarded by the two military contractors. Simultaneously however, a homing missile from the stealth helicopters quickly finds and destroy the fleeing vehicle. Still, the decimated pickup truck dislodges the steel doors in its last crash while the human intruders move away fast. Subsequently, a semi-trailer truck and another technical escape from one of the buildings (the smaller vehicle soon stop and the gunner aims the installed machine gun at one of the unwelcome copters, as the bigger transport head for the now-unsecured exit). Again, the aggressive automobiles end up being demolished... with the semi's tractor unit receiving a warhead launched from Pierce's American variant of the infamous RPG-7; and the improvised fighting truck chewed by a burst of powerful grenades from a Mohawk nose-turret. Supremacist survivors instantly pop-out of either the trailer sections or the warehouses to fight or flee. Likewise on the other hand... the uninvited gunships swiftly gun down the defiant jingoists to the last man, despite the angered militants' attacks on the choppers' armor with 12.7mm rounds.

When everything in the area is 'calm,' the fleur-de-lis masked operative initiate comms with his two employers. "Tyson, Elliot, you two alright?"

Salem answered, "We're all good here, Pierce. That being said, I'm left wondering on who these flying guests are and how they got their hands on such high tech stuff. I mean... that firework display was absolutely sweet!"

Rios added, "Well... whoever these guys are, it's very clear that their advanced hardware is way beyond any private sector that I know of. And we certainly don't want our troubled objective to be full of... blaster holes made by such murderous machines in the sky."

"Uh, Tyse... just say lasers, man! I mean, seriously: real... fucking lasers in action! Like the ones in Star Trek or Star Wars... or even the War of the Worlds movies!"

"Elliot... real lethal lasers kill without being visible to our eyes, regardless of how cruel it was to shoot people in either the face or back. Now, can you please get your act toge-?" Just then, a number of explosions were heard in the distance by the individuals of the private military company. "What the hell? Did those fanatical jackasses began their bombing attacks just now?"

Kensington chimed in, "I got an interesting development, guys. It appears that our kidnapping adversaries had a run-in with more of those stealth helicopters at the hospital facilities, as well as losing half of their technicals out there."

At the 'battlefield' close to the hospital...

"AAAHH! FUUUCK!" An injured militant screams and curses in agony due to both his feet amputated by rocket explosions that destroyed a weaponized pickup truck he was in while attempting to evade. Additionally, the bigot is one of a few that received such debilitating wounds when the sneaky choppers launched missiles and rockets at four of their technicals. The semi-trailer transport remains intact... but its driver goes in reverse to retreat for a 'safer' location. The other half of the escort trucks try to perform rearguards for the fleeing semi while firing the heavy machine guns at the attacking whirlybirds. Nevertheless, the aircraft's defensive materials are quite impervious to the large caliber bullets... along with the helicopters' homing weaponry that easily eliminated the rear-guarding technicals. Only the larger ground vehicle escape unharmed, albeit with two stealth choppers tracking it.

As for the other half, the airborne machines turn their attention to the injured terrorists on the ground. One man tries to stand up with organ damages inside his body and even raises both hands at the rotor-crafts. "Alright... [cough] you bastards won! Let me live and [cough, cough] I will do whatever you people want!"

In a cold response, the plasma nose-mounted Mohawk discharge a direct-energy salvo that kills off the surrendering opponent.

Another panic racist with an arm missing attempt an elusive evasion without being detected. Unfortunately for him, the other chopper noticed the escape and launch some rockets at the runaway. He was blown to bits when the weapons explode.

When the two attack copters set their sight on the last dismembered survivors, the male chauvinists feel either very frightened at the firepower or angrily pissed at the lack of 'honor.' The shaky demands for mercy or the cussing of insults are heard loud and clear to the electronic brains that controls the Mohawks. In considerations of background records from the digital dark web however, these white 'Americans' had no moral shame in expressing homicidal discrimination onto the cultural diversities and human values within various ethnicities of Humanity in numerous occasions. As far as the synthetic minds can see, these so-called patriots often acted like bloodthirsty devils than the proclaimed heroes of democracy... or even the God of Christ. Having many vicious commonalities with the power-hungry citizens of the Roman Empire, greedy conquerors from European empires prior to the First World War, destructive Nazis of the 20th century, fanatical soldiers of Imperial Japan, hyper-Islamic zealots completely fixated with absolute control on everything, and other nasty malefactors ever to exist... although the United States of America does have a fair share of controversial exploits within the nation's history since its constitutional inception. Furthermore, the wounded nationalists didn't discarded their deadly ideologies of hatred much earlier before the artificial foreigners planned the first attacks on them. Thus... the brutal executions on the light-skinned males by the self-aware stealth helicopters.

A 3-barreled plasma turret shredded one man to pieces. For the next target though, the nose-mounted guns spray out many energy bolts that landed very close to the terrorist's personal spaces. Slowly but surely, the intense projectiles cut and pierce the horrified human in the hundreds for a very long path to death.

In unison, a mounted laser weapon emits a beam of heat at an injured supremacist with very high intensity. Almost instantly, he exploded by the rapid changes of water from liquid to gas. The chopper equipped with such lethal device then radiates the energy stream at the next victim... but at a lower output. Consequently, the unlucky bigot is being boiled/cooked alive to a crisp - at a leisurely pace.

"WAAAAAH! STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

By the time some conscious medical workers realized the cruelties being made nearby, saving these men (regardless of their extreme viewpoints) became an impossibility as of late.

Back to the moving semi meanwhile...

The leader in the passenger seat is in a state of shock. All the committed efforts to design a citywide assault onto the 'degenerates of the white race' had gone... FUBAR. The first big headache was the sudden attacks by a few men in heavy armored suits that devastated his group's hideout. The next bad luck was the unexpected strike by unknown attack helicopters at the hospital that the 'patriots' were going to tear apart. And now... their improvised rendezvous point with another cell of like-minded compatriots is ruined.

By some tan-colored trucks or SUVs that actually ram at high speed into the technicals of their fellow 'freedom fighters' on an intersection; which either brutally crushed or jolted the unfortunate drivers and passengers... while little to no damage to the unidentified car frames. Outside of human observations anyway, the hidden designation for these combat wheels was called N-forcer. As the unaffected militants from the second party go outside to assess and deliver a reaction to the unwelcome collisions, more vehicles of similar color and designs drive into the automotive incidents. No ramming tactics from these newer arrivals (extended interior volume and a 6x6-wheel layout per automobile; despite sharing the same moniker), but they do gush out some armor-covered 'humanoids' with weapons at the ready... and sizable swarms of 'insects' in the air.

A number of extremists were mesmerized by the ominous sight of this airborne hive. Regrettably, those distracted racists immediately get shot up by energy bolts discharging from the twin-barreled turrets on the roof top of the scouting N-forcers. Thus began a vicious skirmish that is clearly one-sided, in favor of the higher tech intruders. Weapons associated with science fiction easily piercing through organic bodies; in addition to thousands of micro-drones painfully disintegrating their human adversaries into smaller anatomical bits... or ripping them apart in gory halves with the combined strength equal to the pulling power of a hundred thousand pound lifting crane... or a 70-ton battle tank (regardless of whether the vile men were inside or not).

"Drive, goddammit! DRIVE!" The commander inside the semi-trailer truck commanded the driver to move the transport away this instant. As intended, the semi reverse to the closest crossroad behind it; effectively abandoning their comrades under attack. Once there, the cargo vehicle then goes for the route that leads to either an exit from this city or another emergency meeting with the rest of the participating nationalists. Hence the decision to telephone all the 'warriors' involved in this crusade. "Come in, my white brothers of America! COME IN! This is your commanding boss Dashturn speaking with grave news! My rendezvous with Woody's company turns into a disaster, when several cars insanely collided with his troops and unleashed their... abominations against our righteous men! I need to regroup again either in the city somewhere or on the outskirts! Please respond!"

A voice from the telecommunication device answered, "Baydon here, sir. You sure you're not joking around today?"

"Ga-... What do you mean by 'not joking around today'?! I saw our own boys being chewed to the bare bone in front of me! Does that really sound fake to you, buddy?!"

"Okay, okay! I get it, boss. But my men and I are still feeling groggy by the sudden orders to start scaring the parasitic fuckers out of our country at this very hour. So... if you're actually damn serious about doing a get-together right away, then please let my troo- [sounds of explosions and gunfire]"

"Eh-hey, HEY! What the hell is going on down there, Baydon?! Respond!"

Instead, a different voice in a state of panic replied. "S-s-sir... SIR! Lieutenant Baydon is dead! Killed by uh... lasers! From above! [noises of projectiles zipping by] SHIT! We're taking a beating here! Permission to retreat from thi-... [reverberation of a powerful blast] SON OF A BITCH! Where did those tanks come from?! [more big explosions that ended the conversation]"

"Son... you still there?"

No return calls from that source, but there are more updates from other places that has an equal sense of urgency.

"Boss! Anyone! We're surrounded and screwed to shit by some ruthless killers! I don't know how my brothers and I wi- [bashing sound of a door being knocked out] Uh, hey! Wait! I give up! I give up! Let me live and surre- [repeated pew-pew noises automatic weapons discharging]"

"I'm fucked, sir! I'm fucked! Those swarms of... metal things have devoured my buddies alive to horrible shreds! How can we get rid of our so-called enemies when facing mons- [loud buzzing of these 'insectoid' collectives] Oh god... OH GOD! Lord, have mercy! Protect me from those ravenous creatures! [Sounds of those small athropods attacking the flesh] Waaaahh! AAAHHHH! AAAAAHHHHH!"

"Oscap, here! My survivors and I had just drove away from our attacked hideout. We can't perform the strikes as planned! Better to flee from these tough assholes then try-... Aww, crap! Hostile choppers incoming! [Explosive blasts and gun strafing in the background]"

Then, there are the more... irate transmissions

"Those unwelcome jackasses! They will pay dearly for disrupting our crusade! Brothers in arms! Show them what our white people are capable of! If they wanted a war, we'll gi- [KABOOM!]"

"We have no options for surrender! Those murderers have no honor and mercy to our wounded! No different than the barbaric criminals that once took over Stilwater and Steelport! Thus we had no choice but to give these bastards the hell they appropriately deserved! [Incoming buzzes from the clouds of tiny 'bugs'] You want a piece of me?! You motherfucking iron locusts! [Gunshots] Do ya?! YOU UNHOLY MONSTERS! [Louder noise of the swarms in attack mode] Get your shits off of me! You goddamn critters! Go back to hell! You mother-rrrRAAAAAGHH! AAAAHHHH! MY EYES! GAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"This is Macburn calling! What is left of my escaped men are very pissed about the dishonorable slaughter back at our hideaway! We'll show our rage at some of the disgraceful sanctuaries unfit for our America! We cannot allow our objectives to go untou- [destructive blast from tank projectiles]"

A decision is made inside the ethnocentric leader. "Driver, get us out of this town! NOW!"

Back to Rios' and Salem's location...

"Access granted," said the digital AI within Nadelle's orange car. The locking mechanisms open the car doors for the two PMCs to put some weapons and ammunition on the back seats... and then sit on the front section.

Elliot smirked, "Now this... is awesome. Good job with hacking on this baby, Kinzie!"

Kensington wirelessly countered, "Uh... actually, it's more related to access agreement than true hacking skills."

"Wait... what do you mean by that?"

The AI in the automobile clarifies, "In layman's term, I'm giving you ladies and gentlemen permission to use this automotive chassis for today."

Tyson noted, "Um... Kinzie, is that just part of the computer's programming in Nadelle's car or what?"

The tech specialist said, "Well... I'm not honestly sure, Rios. It's rare for me to encounter a program that can do things independent of human feedback."

The digital entity reminded, "Excuse my interruption, folks. Shouldn't we be focusing on 'saving' our captured friend right about now?"

Both Rios and Salem confusingly pause and then look at the dashboard. Elliot answered, "Uh... yeah, let's go back to our rescue mission then. Shall we?"

"Glad to do so, gents."

And just like that, the car engine comes alive and the vehicle immediately drive itself towards the hostage's location on the move.

Not the anticipation of self-driving that the armored duo had in mind, as the two put on the seat-belts in a slight panic. Tyson spoke, "Jesus Christ, can you give a little warning to us before doing that?"

"My apology for the haste, sirs. I assumed that your lifetime experiences does including wearing the safety features in practically all motor vehicles, civilian or otherwise."

"We know the seat belt aspect, you... uh... what should we call you by the way?"

"Giblen for now, middle-aged lads. Officially though, my designated name involved a variety of alphabetical and numerical letters being organized for my identity. Care to hear it aloud?"

The contractor with the flame mask declined, "Uh... no thanks. I would rather listen to rock n' roll than a long mismatch of numbers and alphabets that I don't know what it means."

"Hmm... 'rock' music, you say? Like this song on the screen here?"

The human 'passengers' turn their attention to the digital glass and see the name and title of a music single.

Rios stated, "That rock band from the British Isles?"

Salem added, "Eh... actually, I should have emphasized more on hip-hop albums. Like those made by Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, or even the Sugarhill Gang."

Before any music can be played, some loud booms are heard... immediately followed by fiery explosions at an intersection that the car is approaching. The vehicle slow down to a full stop as a gun battle unfolds.

To be more precise: a massacre upon the terrorist convoy firing ballistic rounds at their unasked opponents... who has deployed armored combat vehicles on ten big wheels to charge through the fascist group (similar to how things play out in demolition derbies) while firing their equipped plasma cannons, coaxial automatic weapons, and rooftop electrolasers from their main turrets.

"Oh shit. Whose idea was it to bring those... 'tanks' in this city?" The Chicano gun-for-hire expressed his astonishment at the war machines that plow and ran over the crushed technicals and any unfortunate man on the road.

Giblen informed, "That recent 'honor' of utilizing M4F2 Crusader medium tanks goes to the 2012th Regulatory Brigade, who also uses AH-67 Mohawk helicopters and tier-4 swarms of micro-bots to 'pacify' the shameful delinquents."

A puzzled Elliot quizzes the artificial entity for a more concrete response; while the upcoming N-forcer SUVs and their armed riders 'clean up' the mess made by the skirmish. "Yeah, um... no offense on yourself but duh... who are you guys actually?"

"Sorry sir, the official label for our entire military organization remains classified."

"Ooooh... I see. Sounded like a potential conspiracy for my old-time partner to solve. Right, Tyse?"

Rios commanded, "Not yet, Salem. Such investigation can wait until we freed our imprisoned angel from those hyperactive assholes inside the truck... alive hopefully."

With the messy aftermath silent and the sweeping unit from the unknown brigade move on, the car resume the self-driving through the empty asphalt junction for the primary objective. "Backdrops of lopsided pandemonium aside, enjoy this audible work of art."

* * *

 **Now Playing:**

 **The Heavy - What Makes A Good Man? (2012)**

* * *

Outside meanwhile, the 'robotic' platoons in the dozens continue their determination to effortlessly locate and implacably defeat the xenophobic humans that disgracefully called themselves American patriots. Whether that harsh form of justice be done by overkill of lethal arsenals... or up close and personal with a superhuman fist.

XXXXX (music paused) XXXXX

(Now, hold on: there was this plan to allow the San Andriaz metropolis to experience violent extremism of human origins. If that's the case, why did this military brigade apparently defy such scheme of tougher lessons for the US citizens?

Well... there were a variety of possible 'reasons' conceived as consequences of processing volume after volume of information related to covert observations on the field, cyberspace eavesdropping, and other clandestine actions done by many black-ops units... and a certain spy.

They include hidden sympathies with the more virtuous inhabitants of humanity, concerns with a cultural 'desert' made by those bigots, the unwillingness to let the madden extremists getting away with unspeakable butchery on law-abiding people of ethnic diversities, strong adherence to 'peacekeeping' duties, great disappointments with these 'patriotic' Yankees for not reigning in their destructive frustrations and denying the profound unpleasantries made by the 'Caucasian' majority throughout the history of the federal republic for too long; and the sheer annoyance of listening to the supremacists' outrage over the supposed endangerment of their 'pride' and 'way of life'... while displaying vile behaviors that contradicts the nobler principles of American democracy. Would any one of such justifications be significant enough to disagree with the test on the 'better angels' of mankind?

Hmm... maybe not.

Unless the present nuisance devised by the femme fatale's naivety could notably lead to unwelcomed results on future development, if left unchecked. With that in consideration, the commanding echelons instructed a 'small' number of troops within the wide city area to prepare a retrieval plan for her [whenever the agent's well-being worsens to a very critical state or an unexpected situation comes up].

Doesn't sound very strong for an acceptable argument to exterminate, but the recent order did 'unknowingly' provide a loophole for the military forces quite keen to deactivate the 'American' fascists.

XXXXX (music replayed) XXXXX

Anyhow, back to the bloody scenes of those virulent chauvinists getting themselves killed.

Numerous 'bullet' holes, blown body parts by explosions, being 'nuked' alive, severe trauma by hard punches made of metal, organs torn away with 'bare' hands, human head stomped to a macabre pulp... the usual.

 _ **Ain't nothin' wrong with this chemistry**_

 _ **Ain't nothin' with this blasphemy**_

 _ **And time will tell if there's the pedigree**_

 ** _Experience is another one meant for me_**

Several times did Tyson and Elliot witness the large-scale carnage beyond the automobile windows... with rather mixed feelings.

Sure, both operatives strongly disliked the detestable systems of hate inside many people of their own country.

When compared to the 'monstrosities' now unleashed and being seen to resolve that national issue on the other hand, well... perhaps that's fairly too excessive from a humanitarian view.

Nonetheless, the armored pair tune out the mercy options and maintain the aims of pursuing the semi-trailer truck and liberate the olive-skinned lady for answers. In addition to not wanting to be on the receiving ends of this incredible firepower.

 ** _Now I entitle swim for blood and birth_ **

**_I entitle swim for what it's worth_**

 ** _Cause lines get drawn 'n' lines get kicked 'n' blurred_**

 ** _Indelible is what I need to spread the word_**

 _ **'N' tell me now (tell me now)**_

 _ **'N' show me how (show me how)**_

 _ **To understand (understand)**_

 _ **What makes a good man?**_

 _ **To tell me now (tell me now)**_

 _ **Hey, walk the line (walk the line)**_

 _ **Hey, understand (understand)**_

 _ **What makes a good man**_

 _ **Good man**_

 _ **Yeah**_

 _ **Yeah**_

 _ **Yeah**_

On a two-lane roadway, just at the city's outskirts...

The bigotry leader and his crew felt rather relaxed that they got out of the brutal mayhem, with nobody on their tail. And yet... unease feelings also dwell inside the militants' minds. The uncertainty of how many of their white comrades escaped alive or not. Which then leads to the question on the 'Middle-Eastern' woman in their custody. The extremists guarding her are very volatile about the 'ruthlessness' inflicted on their 'master race.'

When being questioned during the urban fighting outdoors, she stated that her 'robot' vigilantes from a parallel dimension are primarily responsible for materializing the one-sided slaughter... all for the sake of a greater balance onto the entire globe (way beyond the petty hostilities that truly blinded the human species from powerful insights of cosmic dangers and existential threats on Earth that humanity created).

Preposterous proclamation to the ears of racial supremacy. The ethnocentric terrorists most likely reckon that the 'attackers' really belong to the US government itself, now ostensibly taken over by nefarious forces devoted to impose authoritarian dogmas onto the 'common man.' Using oppressive methods equivalent to Joseph Stalin's purges in Bolshevik Russia, Mao Zedong's crackdowns during China's Cultural Revolution, or the alleged secret societies with conspiracies to built a 'new world order' at the cost of the present geopolitical landscape. Of course, the female captive was supposedly not lying about herself not in the federal payroll.

Not that it sensibly matters to a bunch of Caucasian males with intense anger issues. In light of this, one of the blokes contact his boss by 'walkie-talkie' on what to do. "Dashturn, any ideas for this Arab bitch here?"

The living commander replied, "I still got questions not answered in our interrupted interrogations with that stubborn gal, son. Along with new ones regarding the abhorrent violence upon our brothers."

"Seriously, sir?! I would rather send her subversive soul to Hell, right away!"

"The godless witch will get her due in the end. That said, the brown wench's defiance will irritably obstruct our urgent search for why our patriots had to die... like vermin dogs!"

"Your orders, boss?"

"Make that bitch's insolent mind to be very cooperative with the next rounds of grilling. By any means necessary! Besides, the retard never belongs to **our** faith in God. Got it?"

"Heh, with pleasure." Afterwards, the subordinate relays the message to the rest. "Alright, boys! The chief wants the heretic's psyche beaten down so much to a point where she'd be begging for the Almighty's grace; in front of our righteous manhood! And there's one effective way to achieve such submission to us, just as we did to every stupid ho in our divine path."

One newer member... kinda guesses, "Cut her up a thousand times without the heathen gal dying?"

"Hmm... sounded like a good notion for torture. But that's not it. Instead, we're going to fiercely fuck her degenerate pussies endlessly with all of our mighty dicks involved!"

Ahem... the white-obsessed rookie sorta felt... gross. "Uh... hold on, we're not putting a bullet straight towards her ugly head today?"

"And deny ourselves the revenge to torment this cock-sucking bitch until she spills the beans; in the wake of the white countrymen that were unfairly butchered back there?!"

"Well... shouldn't you express more concerns with unnatural half-breeds from such consequences?"

"Only if we allow such despicable hooker to live that long. In any case of you being so insistent of ending her life, just let us steam out our frustrations upon the arrogant woman at this moment. Okay?!"

"...understood, sir."

"Good to hear, son." Soon, the lieutenant and others look at the tied-up - yet steadfast - 'Egyptian' with malice of vengeance... and a sick degree of sexual glee. "Alright, you blasphemous sinner. The big man had told us about you and your shitty views against our American culture and God-given superiority over the despotic subhumans... like yourself! How about we immediately found out if your distorted Trinity can really resist the divine wra-"

All of a sudden, multiple explosions simultaneously rocked around and underneath the wheels of the semi. The overall damage on the circular components is total and led the driver to lose complete control over the transport. Seconds later, the large truck tumbles forward by its right side and screeches on the lonely pavement. It eventually stop, but the 'mishap' did left the bruised militants in a shock at what just happens. The front-seated occupants are about to disconnect their seat-belts out of the tipped-over tractor unit... when three fast, sizable projectiles bash into the drivable vehicle. Which causes the automotive target to violently explode; taking away the lives of the commander and the driver.

The culprits: three M4A2 Crusader tanks with proper caterpillar-treads (in addition of having two 'lightning' turrets on top of each main plasma cannon emplacement); located approximately sixteen yards in distance of the disabled transport that ran over a patch of explosive landmines. One of those war machines move towards a closer position in front of the cargo space's rear doors, along with warming up the electrolasers to higher voltages on the way.

When the military vehicle arrives, the tilted container has its only opening unlocked by an alarmed grunt from the inside. Although there's just one door opened easily to ground level (while the other barrier remained close due to gravity), the individual is able to crouch out of the enclosed space. Still... the respite is immensely short-lived, on which the immediate discharges of electricity from the tank lethally touches the unfortunate lad. At the same time, the electrostatic streams disseminate into the interior of the metal cargo at the speed of light. Without any similar protection to an enclosed Faraday cage, all of the occupants inside (including the female hostage) consequently experience constant spasms generated by dangerous magnitudes of electrical energy... for a minute and a half.

But so does the present cartridges and grenades that the electrocuted extremists brought in, which give way to confined explosions and bullets flying randomly. After the shock attack subsided, only a few men are still breathing... if not taking in the account of their hearts suffering from cardiac arrests, fragmentation injuries, and motor dysfunctions in both nervous systems.

As for the status of the inflicted spy, well...

From a mortal perspective, there's a grenade shrapnel stuck on her forehead at one millimeter deep. Accompanied by an embedded bullet near the jugular blood vessels of Nadelle's neck; several lodged projectiles and fragments across her chest, abdomen, and legs; blood dripping from the wounds; and her unblinking eyes and overall body being frozen from the collateral electrocution. Henceforth the presumptions that she's longer among the living.

Until the gal's eyelids begin to flutter a few times; which was thirty seconds later of sporadic sparks on her whole skin... now covered in Lichtenberg/fractal-like patterns. A handful of gasps for air quickly follow the apparent self-revival of this woman. Afterwards, her heighten respiration adjusted to a more moderate state of breathing... while feeling the physical suffering from both foreign objects inside her body and the electric assault. "Uugh... talk about excessive use of amplified shock therapy for a rescue mission," groaned the femme fatale as she freed her wrists out of the tied rope by just pure strength within her upper limbs. The female escapee then pulls out a few projectiles out of her arms; despite the fact that Nadelle's pain receptors are in a magnified state of sensitivity (because of the electrostatic infliction upon her anatomy). "AH! Ow... agh, goddamn. Didn't think of them going that far to add a dangerous penalty for my altruistic values."

Meanwhile, the incapacitated male survivors observe the supposedly 'inferior' being in total disbelief.

To see this 'witch' ripped apart the tighten fibers with ease. The nonchalant removal of the stuck bullets and shrapnel from her body, regardless of the painful reactions in doing so. The subsequent recovery of transforming those open wounds into healthy skins and organs without scars. Her capacity to function 'normally' despite the excruciating damage from the electrolaser surprise.

That extraordinary scene of such 'superhuman' qualities doesn't sit well to the men's idea of white supremacy.

One bloke got so overwhelmed with fright that his damaged heart gave out after a number of rapid cardiovascular fluctuations in his fleeing... and ended up dead.

Another instead shouts out his outrage, "W-W-WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"

The olive-skinned damsel soon look at the furious militant with slight displeasure. "Mister, shouting like that is rather rude."

"W-W-WHY SHOULD ABOMINATIONS LIKE YOU CARE ABOUT MANNERS?! You should have been burnt to a crispy corpse after that shocking desecration we've all endured!"

"Hmm... let's begin with me being an unwanted 'American' that just survived a high-powered electrocution from a battle tank. It still hurts though."

"H-HOW DARE YOU TO USE THAT NAME OF FREEDOM UPON YOURSELF, BITCH! AMERICA IS A WHITE NATION! A CHRISTIAN PARADISE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE NEGROES, JEWS, CATHOLICS, JAPS, MUSLIMS, HIPPIES, RETARDS, GAYS, AND OTHER SINFUL DEGENERATES BREATHING IN THIS WORLD! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A LESSER BEAST NOT EQUAL TO OUR PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THE LIGHT OF CIVILIZATION AND PRO-PRO-... A-A-AH! AH! AH! M-my heart! MY H-HEART! AAAHHH! C-can't b-breath! I CAN'T BREATH! AAAAAHHH!" A short moment forward, his life collapses from a heart attack.

The 'undercover' beauty stares at the deceased man with pity and slight disappointment. "Well... from a cynical point of view, we both have commonalities in anger issues." Posterior to removing the last fragment from her head, she uses her untied hands to tear away the rope that restricted her ankles. As the woman takes a few steps going outside the cargo space, her eyes caught on a certain fanatic glaring back at her all of the sudden. The Caucasian male who wanted an immediate execution upon the lady's life than the chosen gang-rape; not that it matters to his heavily debilitated life right now. Nevertheless, he didn't say any loud yell in his frustrated mindset as the man saw her unfair endurance. Much as Nadelle should just ignore the dying xenophobic rebel, she somehow can't help but to attempt a question onto the wrecked racist. "Is there something you want to say here... demon ape?"

Hearing that from a brown-colored 'subservient' has insulted his identity as a 'White Christian.' Yet no words have been exchanged between the two different individuals while they gaze each other for a while. Without saying anything afterwards, the 'Egyptian Valkyrie' exhales and proceeds to leave halfheartedly. "I am a human being of my true Lord, not the demonic minion of the Great Deceiver as you falsely declared!" The ethnocentric goon then said behind the woman's back... which puts a pause in her steps and causes the female face to turn around with a bit of irritation thereafter.

"Jeez... perhaps I should've used a nicer term like 'gentleman' or 'cavalier' to illicit a faster response time for you; notwithstanding the fact that your untamed ruthlessness against my character and ethnici-."

"Talk, talk, talk, all you want for your own selfish ego! There's nothing to change the revelation that you have misled us into assuming your nature as only a nigger girl with a stupid idea of the Almighty; rather than your real recognition as a diabolical mutant having blasphemous powers antithesis to God's will for our rightful reclamation!"

"...First of all, I was more concerned in finding a civilized resolution to avoid the bloodshed that your hyper-reactive imperialists had diabolically planned. Not the ongoing surveillance on the progressions and regressions that has happened to this multicultural nation and its ecological surroundings; the things before and after I came here."

"Tsk... avoiding bloodshed you say, hypocrite? Like this carnage in this truck painted in my friends' blood?! Is that it?! [Cough, cough] Ha! Errgh..."

"The word I'm looking for was redemption."

"Seriously... to redeem yourself for this bloody mess?!"

"Actually, I'm implying towards your spiritual vindications away from the dreadful lies made by the bygone slave-owners of this democratic landscape. The same, monstrous ideologies that had plagued countless Homo sapiens living on this country of freedom and equality for centuries!"

"Pah... Homo sapiens? [More coughing] What do you mean by that?!"

"The entire human population on Earth that all share a genetic similarity of 99.9%... Africans in essence."

"Ohhh... you mean the despicable declaration of white people being the same as the Blacks, Chinese, Latinos, Jews, Muslims, godless socialists, and other savages that are ruining our sanctified visi- [heart failure] Aah! Gah! Err... my poor heart, damn it!"

"I may also add in the shared human trait of being scared to shit, which can equally be found within numerous species of the animal kingdom. Examples include the humble mice, flies, ants, chipmunks, skunks, beavers, crows, rats, cockroaches, gophers, raccoons, spiders, lice, monkeys, oppo-"

"Cease your attempt in shaming the white man to the same stature as any lowlife creature! [Cough, cough, cough] Agh... so unfair."

"Oh sure... the radical desire to be very special above anyone else again. Found in virtually every desperate bastards living on this planet with compulsive rage issues; regardless of their religions, ethnicity, income rates, education, and other circumstances."

"My race is not like those barbarian outsiders that cast aside God's mercy for sinful enjoyments! And what's with that witchcraft that healed you up all clean and haughty? Have you sold your soul to the Devil himself in obtaining such unnatural powers?"

The brown lady breathes in and out once more prior to declassifying info. "No... my regenerative physiology and biological toughness were the results of advanced genetic manipulations, when I was simply an embryo inside an artificial womb."

"...Eh... wait, artificial womb? You're telling me that you don't have a real mother? As a designer baby?"

"Hmm... that's affirmative, 'Atlantean.' I'm one of many girls with different ethnicity; grown in a laboratory complex for the primary purpose of spying on a primitive doppelganger of the Roman Empire."

"The fuck... that made no sense! [Cardiovascular dysfunction] Ah! Gah... the pagan dominion from Rome is already gone to the dustbin of history. And what's with that weird name you just called out? I regard myself as a patriotic Ame- [few more coughs and gasps] Agh!"

"Well... it's more or less a derogatory moniker for an ancient people that did not materialize in this timeline variant of Earth."

"...What the hell is that suppo-? [Heart stroke] Aaaagh! Gah! Ahhh! [Heavy wheezing] Waah... eeeek... rrrgh... blah... I-I c-can't... die l-li-..." In seconds, the supremacist also expires from coronary thrombosis.

Nadelle look at the flesh corpse in a trivial daze. "Uh... hey, are you really dead-dead just now?" She then uses her hands to check for pulses of life. So far... none. "Guess it means no more irate comments coming out of this wanker. Still... how about this method?" The next evaluation involves her right hand touching on the man's frontal neck... and squeezing the larynx extremely hard to the point of crushing it. Once again, no reflexes of staying alive. For herself though, the superhuman 'amazon' expected some kind of satisfaction in disfiguring the organ for the supremacists' mistreatment upon her. What she got instead is a strange sensation of... emptiness. As if venting out her inner chaos onto a dead body is not as 'therapeutic' as it imagined to be.

Soon, the damsel let her hand go of the inactive voice box... and allows her thoughts to ponder. Something like challenging the disclosure of 'mirrored' knowledge about hypothetical 'Americans' (or a name related to the Latin word "fortem") with the bravery, religious tolerance, and fortunate know-how to sail across the Atlantic Ocean; along with possible confusions relating to such an implausible immigration during the reign of the Roman emperors and in a 'parallel' dimension. Or whether the potential acts of violence by herself should always be contained or not, less the woman showed no care about being in the same depraved stature as those domestic terrorists. The contemplation is then put on halt when her eyes spotted a string around the man's neck... a type of necklace it seems. She decides to expose the hidden nature of that ornament, which turns out to be a metal swastika in a circle (designed to represent the evils of Nazism and racial purity, rather than a symbol of good fortune within Asian cultures). A while later of seeing the repulsive medallion, Nadelle simply breaks the object in two pieces with both hands.

Not long afterwards, the olive-skinned gal hears the incoming engine of an automobile and continues her walk out of the entire cargo space. Once outdoors, she notices the recognizable orange car at present; in addition to the two 'mercs' in heavy outfits coming out.

Although the armed operatives are quite uncomfortable with a Crusader tank pointing its guns at them.

At a convenience store within the affected city meanwhile...

A burglary alarm sounds off as three ski-masked robbers broke inside the building to take away the dollar bills and coins from the cashier machines. Once they are done with securing the stolen money, the burglars make a run through the same forced entryway. The whole trio feel quite excited in getting away with their dough, despite the violence being scantily heard or seen across this big town.

Everything should have been fine for thieves on foot and their loot... if it wasn't for a Mohawk stealth helicopter firing plasma bolts at them all of a sudden. By the time an N-forcer automobile shows up, only one plunderer was still breathing with serious injuries.

A fireteam exits out of the wheeled transport to assess the bandits' ethnic origin by removing the masks. Lo and behold, they're identified as African Americans.

The mechanical soldier next to the surviving lawbreaker positions the hand-held energy gun at the dark-skinned troublemaker.

The frightened man pleads, "H-h-hey wait, ya'll! I'm so banged up here that I really don't want to do that stealing shit anymore! So please, let me live and get myself straight for Go-"

An intense volley of energized projectiles from the super-advanced weapon devastates the unlucky robber like Swiss cheese.

"Good grief... you just had to let your greed take over at a very serious time like this, pillaging idiots."

Instantaneously, a car from a distance is coming towards the military SUV. A missile from the rotary gunship homes in on the fast-approaching vehicle... and destroys it in an explosion. The automotive wreck came to a stop with just a few feet apart from the synthetics' position, allowing them to scan the content of the new 'crime' scene in flames.

If possible.

"Sir... we couldn't make a more thorough conclusion of the burnt offenders and the contraband. Despite the back license plate matching up with the moving target that was recently involved in a bank robbery right now."

"I don't think it matters to us 'vigilantes' in this instance. Not when these theft operations suddenly appeared in the midst of our forces' efforts to neutralize the deranged jingoists, whose hatred for everyone was critically... despicable by the way."

"Yeah, sure... an ungrateful slap to the face for doing the right thing inherently enough."

* * *

 **A/N: I may had inadvertently wrote a nod/shout-out in respect to an animated work made by Hideaki Anno.**

 **In contexts of vehicles: the Crusaders and N-forcers were based on those playable machines back in Saint's Row the Third.**

 **Also, I'm open to potential lists of songs for me to look at for modifying the chapters.**

 **[the lyrics of "What Makes A Good Man?" belonged to s** **ongwriters: Chris Ellul, Dan Taylor, Kelvin Swaby, and Spencer Page]**

 **(Considering the current world events that has occurred during my unusual time in brainstorming and writing at this point, I'd most likely designate the overall story as a 'deviated' possibility out of many fanfics in regards to our present-day realities. I might have said that reminder already onto a previous chapter, but it's something to think about anyway... if there really was a worthy thought to do so from different point of views.)**


End file.
